Gloves on, hands on!

Today, we got to work with some of the equipment that the scientists at Histogenics actually use in their work.  In our lab activity, we prepared the collagen solution that would become the gel that sets the cells into the NeoCart scaffold. In doing this activity we learned how to use equipment such as micropipettes, vortexers, and sterile gloves. Afterwards, we used agar plates to sample microbes on our hands compared to the sterile gloves, which we will review later this week. We had a look at a second lab that houses the bioreactors which stimulate the NeoCarts by simulating the stress and pressure from walking on a knee.

At the left, all of us are using pipettes to precisely measure out liquid samples.  In the middle, Mr. Kennedy is explaining how they company makes sure that its quality control is as perfect as possible.  At the right, the bacteria on Andrew's hands has gone crazy - it's pretty clear why everyone takes being clean so seriously!