Hunting for October

Hey bloggers,
We have good news for this month of October. Facilities in our lab were improved and we were able to start performing our fermentation runs scheduled for October. There were several mishaps with instrumentation but that is an expected side of using an instrument for the first time. After those first steps we’ve been able to improve our culture transfer and sample analysis techniques. Personally, I have been able to make culture transfers successfully and have been able to take part in each of the lab procedures that embody our fermentation process. In addition, we have learned to adapt our experimental procedures according to gathered results and available resources. I think this last one is a very valuable lesson. The lab group had several goals to hunt for in October and, up to today, very important ones have been met. And, before the month ends there still time to meet those that haven’t been reached, including preparing a research poster to be presented at national conference. Alluring, isn’t it?  I think we deserve a 4. 

Preliminary results confirm previous expectations of Pichia Stipitis being the best xylose fermenting yeast of our three strains. Upcoming xylose fermentation runs will give more information regarding these results. If the designed experimentation routine is completed effectively, it will be possible for this lab group to propose a new co-fermenting pair of yeasts to obtain ethanol from parts of vegetation that usually just occupy space in a trash can or a landfill.