By contributing science writer, Victoria Bowers
Access to science – a concept that many of us may take for granted as we work our way through a research project, deadline, or degree. But this access is a privilege, and organizations like SoundBio Lab are helping to ensure this access is expanded to those who are interested in science but may not have the resources to explore that curiosity.
SoundBio helps students gain traction under many scientific disciplines. This early traction provides an edge for those who may be applying to college or university programs that are often quite competitive. SoundBio provides a safe haven for students to learn, grow, and embark on their scientific journeys in two ways: First, by providing physical support and supplies, and second, by helping them hone professional development skills such as networking, critical thinking, and scientific communication.
For context, we sat down with three high school students to understand how SoundBio has been involved in their scientific journeys.
David Lu of Roosevelt High School presenting his research project at our regional science fair.
David Lu, a student at Roosevelt High School, originally found SoundBio through their iGEM program, a synthetic biology team that competes in the iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) Giant Jamboree. He decided to complete his project for the Central Sound Regional Science and Engineering Fair through SoundBio because Roosevelt High School didn’t have the capacity to support his project. He was interested in studying the Effect of AHLs (N-acyl homoserine-lactones, a class of signaling molecules involved in bacterial quorum sensing) on Microcystis Growth, due to the toxic algal blooms that occasionally occur in Seattle.
He enjoyed having full access to an incubator for the entirety of his project, stating that he didn’t have to worry about his samples being tampered with. He was excited to use the new NanoDrop 2000c spectrophotometer that SoundBio owns, highlighting how SoundBio is helping students experience new equipment and technology before they enter college. Beyond the physical support, he noted that:
“SoundBio helped me with scientific thinking and being able to communicate my processes
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Aditi Ekbote and Vidhi Jain of Tesla STEM High School presenting their research project.
Another group that used SoundBio to complete their project for the Central Sound Regional Science and Engineering Fair was Aditi Ekbote and Vidhi Jain of Tesla Stem High School. Their project was studying drug combinations with antibiotics and curcumin to combat antibiotic drug resistance. They won 3rd place in their category which led them to the 62nd annual Washington State Science & Engineering Fair where they won first place in their category. As technologically savvy as Tesla Stem High School is, it didn’t have the capacity to host their science project, prompting them to seek out the external resource of SoundBio.
Aditi and Vidhi were drawn to their project because “the study of combating antibiotic drug resistance is an up-and-coming field…we felt compelled to alleviate this issue to the best of our ability.” They found SoundBio after contacting a professor from Bellevue College who recommended contacting Yoshi Goto, SoundBio’s lab manager. “We determined that SoundBio was the best fit for our project because they were flexible with their time and ready to help. We had no prior experience working in a lab, so Yoshi guided us through using scientific equipment and following through with our procedure.”
“Our school is a BSL-1 facility, meaning that we are not allowed to grow E. coli in our labs. However, a large part of our procedure was growing and testing E. coli, so we had to find a lab that could safely accommodate it. Additionally, we didn’t have the proper materials in our school to crush the antibiotic pills and use them in a solution to treat the E. coli. SoundBio was perfect because they not only had the proper sterilized lab materials but also the experience of working with antibiotics.”
“Outside of physical equipment, SoundBio helped us develop our scientific thinking and lab skills. Previously, we had very little experience of working in a professional lab setting and had never really worked with bacterial samples. Additionally, SoundBio helped us develop our scientific communication skills, as we had to learn to explain our procedure in an efficient and precise manner. We also developed our organizational skills, as it was difficult to manage so many parts of the project all at once under a time constraint. Yoshi Goto really helped us manage our time wisely, which was a vital in meeting our deadline.”
“Without SoundBio, it would have been hard for us to carry out this idea. There aren’t very many labs in our area that we could have worked in. So, we would probably have had to change our idea; this would have greatly disappointed us, as we were very passionate about our project idea.”
It should be noted that even after countless hours in the lab and lots of hard work, some groups in the science fair simply encountered results they weren’t expecting or hoping for. This can be quite defeating for new scientists. SoundBio steps in at times like this to help students develop persistence and resilience, traits which are so vital to the research process.
It’s clear that SoundBio is indeed a resource of machines and equipment, but it’s so much more than that. It’s an organization made up of dedicated mentors who have experienced the research rollercoaster and are excited to guide and support this next generation of young scientists.
NOTE: Further information about Seattle’s regional science fairs can be found HERE.