Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I want to study the effect of different store bought mushrooms on bacteria grown on nutrient agar plates for my science fair project, but my teacher thinks this needs to be done in a lab under a hood. Is there a way to control the type or amount of bacteria if I swab household items and culture them myself instead of using bacteria purchased from a science store? If so, is this safe to do outside the lab? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

I think this is safe just because I did a similar experiment when I was in 6th grade. I swiped different surfaces around my school and home and fast food restaurants for bacteria and it was completely fine. You should be careful though and listen to your teacher but in my opinion, you will be alright. My middle school science classes tested bacteria on agar multiple times during the three years and no one was ever sick or harmed. Good luck.

Your project sounds very interesting and as whatarush said you should be able to do it safely as long as you are very careful because the bacteria would be higher than normal.

However, most science fairs require that all projects involving bacteria need to be done at school or a reasearch lab.

Here is Intel's website that might help you find out more on what you need to do, and it also has a list of the science fair rules. http://www.sciserv.org/isef/students/wizard/index.asp .

Good luck on your project and please let us know how everything goes.


Philip

Thank you for your responses. I have four other questions. One, how can I control the amount of bacteria plated? Two, how can I use different types of bacteria without buying online? Three, do I really need to get approval from any one of these organisations SRC, IBC, RAC, IACUC (as said by the ISEF)?
Lastly does it matter whether I buy the mushrooms or grow them myself for the best anti-bacterial effects? And in response to PhilipPierce's message, I don't have access to a school or research lab.

Again, thanks for the promptness of your responses.

Is it possible that a type of bacteria doesn't have a BSL and doesn't have to be done in a lab? Because I looked up the rules and it stated

"3) Experimentation with potentially hazardous biological
agents, even BSL-1 organisms, is prohibited in a home
environment. However, specimens are allowed to be
collected at home as long as they are immediately
transported to a laboratory with the appropriate level of
biosafety containment."

I have already experimented with bacteria at home when I was younger and in forth grade they brought in petri dishes and let us culture, them without a lab. What has changed?

Thank you

I checked the Intel site and
"Experiments involving rDNA technologies, microorganisms, ... are prohibited in a home environment."

Hi partriotman,

In terms of finding a research lab, try contacting professors or research scientists at a local university of yours.

For example, if you live in the San Jose Bay Area in the United States, then contact professors/research scientists at Stanford University or San Jose State University.

Have you tried this? I have as well been trying to search for a mentor for a while, and one just has to be persisitent!

Good luck!

Sareena

In terms of controlling the number of bacteria your plates, I would suggest growing the bacteria first in a test tube of LB broth, and then diluting the culture in more LB broth and plating the diluted culture. (You may have to try several different dilutions before you get a countable number of bacteria on your plates.)

Although it would be great if you could work with a research scientist in a real lab, you may be able to work something out with your teacher so you can work at your school. You would need to have equipment such as an incubator, micropipets, test tubes, etc, available, as well as someone to supervise your work. You would also need to be careful about keeping your working-area and instruments as sterile as possible. Working at school is a possible option, but not necessarily the easiest one. I know that schools don't always have the right equipment for such a study, and even when they do, the equipment isn't 100% available or reliable.

Sonia