2nd Posting – 2nd Semester with Bio-MINDS

I have not learned a new technique yet but, as soon as possible, I will start working with a simulator of counter-diffusion inside a Granada Crystallization Box (GCB). This simulator will be very helpful in understanding the behavior of the precipitating agent inside the capillaries found inside the GCB

In a scale from 1-5 I would give the progress of my investigation a 3 because I have already polymerized inside the glass GCBs, I have crystallized lysozyme by employing the obtained gels. Nevertheless, I have not got neither compared the quantitative data of the previous lysozyme crystals, which is in progress at Spain, with the data obtained during this semester. As a consequence, I have not been able to really determine if the neutral hydrogels provide a better control of the diffusion coefficient than agar does. As may be expected, we have not started the redaction of a scientific paper since this is expected to begin at the end of the semester but I am very happy because my abstract was accepted to be presented at ABRCMS.

In achieving my goals I have not been able to polymerize hydrogels with the consistency needed to reduce the effect of gravity (sedimentation). Therefore, I have been varying the concentration of the precipitating agent since I think that the salt is not allowing the polymerization to progress as expected. This can be described, in general, as a trial and error process to determine the highest concentration of precipitating agent at which the polymerization can occur.