Animal Research Day

Wednesday 25th March 2015

• Full day
• Manchester University
• Looked at the animal research facilities, where they keep the mice, rats, sheep, pigs and fruit flies
• Dissected mouse brains in order to dissect the hypothalamus. We looked at this using an optical microscope to see more clearly
• Cracked open a chicken egg. Saw chick embryo with heart beating. Saw that the heart beat decreased as temperature decreased. Discussed how organisms are not that different as an early embryo.
• Did a few experiments with fruit flies and discussed epilepsy and how fruit flies were able to conduct studies to show epilepsy and seizures. Put 2 test tubes underneath arms, one test tube contained a protein which made the fruit flies temporarily paralysed. Looked at different types of fruit flies under an optical microscope and discussed the discovering of genetics through the use of fruit flies.