Laboratories to conduct experiment?

[iabas]

Hi, I'm doing this experiment:
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... v&from=TSW

I've been trying to find places where equipment can be provided for me, like an incubator. Does anyone know any general places where that could be possible? I've contacted a local community college, but they haven't replied back yet. I live in the Orange County area if that helps.

Or is it possible to culture the bacteria at home?

Thanks.

[deleted-71841]

Your best bet is probably to check with any universities in your area. Try searching for specific laboratories that might have the equipment you are looking for... most labs that do DNA sequencing work will have incubators suitable for culturing ecoli. I would suggest looking at faculty profiles in the biology departments of local universities; many professors have links to their lab websites. Once you have found the website, don't be shy about contacting the lab manager or other lab contact about using their facilities... many labs are happy for an opportunity to reach out to young people interested in science. If they do not have the equipment you need (an incubator and an autoclave), they might be able to recommend another lab that does. In addition, some museums do sequencing work and might be open to loaning you lab space. You can try to find a "public outreach" contact or search for specific lab websites.

Probably the most important thing is that you are persistent... many researchers won't have what you need or are simply very busy and won't be able to help you. The more people you contact, the greater the likelihood of finding a good match. As for culturing ecoli at home, you would at least need some sort of incubator. The optimal culturing temperature is around 37 degrees Celsius (about 98 F). Some companies sell miniature incubators for hatching eggs for reasonable prices, but I'm not sure if these would be big enough for your needs. Larger incubators get pricey very quickly.

Hope that helps!
Tricia Rubi