Progress So Far

Introduction

It's the middle of research! Here's a quick overview of my project. My project aims to show the effect of UV exposure on planaria memory retention. The data that will be generated from my research is whether planaria can retain their memory even after cell damage. The longer a planaria stays in its conditioned place (unpreffered environment with the 10% sucrose solution) even after regeneration and UV exposure will suggest that memory persists in the cells of the planaria. This adds to the gap of where planaria memory is stored.

Here's me applying silicone glue on a petri dish to test it out.

Progress So Far

Some key milestones I've reached were being able to find out how long the planaria needed to be exposed to UV light for cell damage and finding out which environment the planaria prefer.

I need to keep the planaria in for at least 30-45 min under the UV light. 60 minutes will ensure that cell damage has occurred. Two test planaria were conducted in the UV exposure. One planaria stayed in there for 15 min and the second planaria stayed in the UV light for 30 min. The 30-minute UV-exposed planaria showed discoloration (it got lighter), which indicates cell damage has occurred.

So far, I have pre-trialed 2 planaria for which environment they prefer. 28 more will still need to be tested. Both planaria have spent more time in the rough environment, indicating that the rough environment is the preferred environment and will be paired with water. The smooth surface will be paired with the 10% sucrose solution.

Roadblocks

Time!! There is not enough time to do everything I need to do. The planaria arrived at around the end of January, leaving me with only one month to collect all my data. Each of the 30 planaria needs to be recorded for 30 minutes to determine which surface is preferred. Then, a CPP needs to be established for the unpreffered surface with the 10% sucrose solution: each of the 30 planaria will be alternated between the fully smooth dish and the fully rough dish for 30 minutes. After, 15 experimental planaria will be placed in the UV Box for 45 minutes for cell damage. All the planaria will be cut and left to regenerate for 2 weeks. The 30-minute recording of place preference will happen again after regeneration. I will have to continue my research at home to ensure I have enough time.

I also found out that the silicone glue I was using was not safe for the planaria. One of them disintegrated. I had to remove the silicone glue and sand mixture from all the petri plates. This was a huge roadblock for me. Not only do I have to reapply the sand and glue mixture again using glue that is safe for the planaria but, I also have to record them again. This time, I got aqaurium-safe silicone glue and I will have to wait for 48 hours instead of 1 hour, like the previous silicone glue. I will have to do the majority of my research at home as I have to redo my research.

Collected Data Highlights

I found out that the planaria should be kept in for at least 30-45 min under the UV light. 60 minutes will ensure that cell damage has occurred. Two test planaria were conducted in the UV exposure. The 30-minute UV-exposed planaria showed more discoloration than the 15-minute. The color of the planaria got lighter, indicating cell damage.

I also found that the planaria prefer a rough surface over a smooth one. I had previously tested 2 planaria and both spent more time on the rough surface compared to the smooth surface. I will have to test the planaria again with the new testing petri dish, with both smooth and rough surfaces because the petri dish I used previously had the non-safe silicone glue in it. This time the aquarium-safe silicone glue will be used to prevent chemicals in the water from influencing or harming the planaria.

Before UV Exposure: The planaria is quite dark with little discoloration/lighter pigment on the outer parts of the body.

After 30 minutes of UV Exposure: The planaria has lost pigment on the outer parts of the body. There is less pigment compared to before UV exposure.

Reflection

The most important thing I learned is how important time is. Before I knew it, we were already halfway through research and I got a roadblock that pushed me back. Time goes by so quickly when researching. It felt like I had all the time in the world to get my research done when in reality, time flew by.

I also learned that research doesn't always go as expected. I planned my research so that I could get my research done early but, I wasn't able to stay on track with my planned schedule. I had to adjust my calendar almost every week. Even though I couldn't stay on track with my original plan, my research still continues. Changes are good during research. If I hadn't noticed that the silicone glue I was using before was toxic, I would've harmed my planaria and ended up with little to no data. This setback drastically reduced my time for research but it was an eye-opener for me to be more cautious with my research. I bought the silicone glue that would dry the fastest, not realizing that it was harmful. Being meticulous and taking it slow while researching was something that resonated with me. I rushed too fast into my research since I only had a month to complete researching. This time, I am going to proceed carefully and not rush to hopefully prevent any more roadblocks through the rest of my research.

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