Anyone please give me some microbiology innovative project ideas..?

[niharika]

Basic details:

It is an innovative project, there are no limitations.We can do whatever we want.In this, we will work alone.No professor will be there with us.We have to just inform them about project.If they like, they will improvise it.We can ask for help if needed.The main idea of this project is to develop creative thinking in students.Our professor doesn't like the idea of testing or demonstrating something.eg - affect of some drug etc...because, he says that it is of no use.We should do something which will give some new useful result.

 

Some of my seniors projects:

-preparation of agar alternative using natural sources.

-preparation of petriplate alternative using coconut shell

-proved that UV affect is more on haploids than on diploids using yeast.

-extracted chloroplasts, cultivated microbes by using chloroplasts as their nutrition source.

-demonstrated essential oils antibiotic sensitivity

-tested effect of different toothpastes on teeth plaques.

 

The most complicate, successful experiment was cultivation of microbes on chloroplasts.

 

My interests:

I would really love to work in the field of molecular biology.I like projects involving gene morphing, DNA extraction, etc...I also love genome sequencing etc.I like working on a project which helps us to know something about evolution.

Please also mention basic protocol..

Thanks in advance.

[InSilico]

Sounds like an awesome opportunity. If you don't mind my asking, what's your education level? Is this a college-level project? How extensive is your experience in the microbiology field?

 

There's a lot of really neat stuff to explore in the realm of biotech related to microbiology. A few that come to mind relate to things like bioremediation (the removal of pollutants from an environment using microbes with specific metabolic preferences), and biofuels (ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomasses, or algal production of hydrocarbons [bio-diesels]), as well as some potentially fun stuff like beer brewing (again looking to EtOH production). If none of those stand out to you and you're looking less for something with industrial applications, consider exploring stuff that's taking place relative to the human microbiome. It's definitely neat stuff.

 

It seems to me that one of the biggest factors in determining your project is quite what interests you most. After that, figuring out quite what level you can operate at in terms of experimentation (what sort of supplies and equipment you have access to, as well as your understanding and familiarity of the techniques requires, and ultimately how much time/effort you're willing/able to put into this bad boy) can focus your options a bit further.

 

So what sounds like fun to you?

[niharika]

I am doing my masters degree.

I am planning to work on foods with differential expiry dates.Is it a good work??How can I proceed?

[Genecks]

Actually, I think it would be great if you explored alternatives to the petri dish.

I think that would be novel.

 

Another thing is attempt to test the effectiveness of antimicrobial surface materials in order to grow microbes.

Maybe make some kind of culturing apparatus out of those materials and test effectiveness.

 

Doing something on kitchen microbiology, basically creating a microbiological laboratory at home, for a low cost would be something interesting to do for a master's degree.

If you could really put a lot of detail into biohacking and genetic engineering for an at-home, low-budget microbiology lab, I suspect that would get a lot of praise.

 

In other words, if you could find a way to describe how to do a lot of modern microbiology for a low-cost at home without buying a lot of scientific equipment from an equipment vendor, then it would be a novel master's thesis.

 

Also, inclusion of sterile techniques to prevent home contamination would be a nice read.

 

At best, I've considered a person needs about $200 USD for a good, at-home microbiology laboratory.

 

I'm not sure how many people have done that for a master's degree.

Edited October 25, 2011 by Genecks

[phasevelocity]

Project ideas

 

Consider this:

Bonnie Bassler: The secret, social lives of bacteria

 

Research the usage of epigenetics in the bacteria that make up 99% of the DNA in our body.

 

Alternative:

Chemical communication between different kinds of these bacteria in our body. Some of them "talk"not with their own kind but with a completely different species. In this field a lot is still unknown.

 

Or:

Research how this type of chemical communication works related to the transition from single celled life to multicellular life. For example in lifeforms that life both single celled and in multicellular forms like myxobacteria.

 

It seems that there is still a lot to learn about how those weird myxobacteria work:

http://iopscience.iop.org/1478-3975/1/3/005/

http://www.pnas.org/content/102/32/11308.full

[JorgeLobo]

Are these college seniors? If so, i sure hope you demand more of them - the concepts you offered are more appropriate for a high school science fair.

 

 

What facilities and equipment can your seniors access?

[kitkat]

Project ideas

 

Consider this:

Bonnie Bassler: The secret, social lives of bacteria

 

Research the usage of epigenetics in the bacteria that make up 99% of the DNA in our body.

 

Alternative:

Chemical communication between different kinds of these bacteria in our body. Some of them "talk"not with their own kind but with a completely different species. In this field a lot is still unknown.

 

Or:

Research how this type of chemical communication works related to the transition from single celled life to multicellular life. For example in lifeforms that life both single celled and in multicellular forms like myxobacteria.

 

It seems that there is still a lot to learn about how those weird myxobacteria work:

http://iopscience.iop.org/1478-3975/1/3/005/

http://www.pnas.org/content/102/32/11308.full

 

This certainly suggests that we should take another approach in how we traditionally have viewed how life actually evolves.