Martha Bosma studies the spontaneous calcium activity in embryonic mouse and chick brain stems, analyzing spontaneous electrical activity in nervous system development. While the lab was fairly accessible, two Phase I Scholars had difficulty accessing high-placed equipment and fitting through the narrow aisles. These issues could be solved with small adjustments in the lab.
The Scholars experimented with mice embryos and cockroaches. They saw how nicotine and other drugs affected the mouse’s heart reactions and the cockroach’s leg and spine movements. Scholars learned how to identify axon potentials and to graph patterns for calcium channel reactions. By the end of the workshop, Scholars learned the inner workings of neurons in real time.