Inside a university biology lab | U of I biosafety level 2 lab tour

What are college biology labs really like? Are they anything like high school labs, or do they open the door to something bigger? In this episode of Lab Tours, our host, a marketing and music major at U of I, steps outside his comfort zone to tour a Biosafety Level 2 laboratory at University of Idaho. He is guided by Lily Givens, a microbiology undergraduate researcher, and Jack Wagner, a biological sciences graduate student, who walk him through the lab’s research and daily work. This is the Rowley Lab, where researchers study antifungal proteins known as “killer toxins” and how they attack fungal cells. Using baker’s yeast and pathogenic fungi, the team investigates how these toxins work and how fungal cells develop resistance. You will watch our host suit up, step into an active lab and take on his first Lab Challenge, gel loading. He carefully pipettes DNA samples into tiny wells in a gel, setting up the next phase of the experiment. Lily then uses electrophoresis to separate the DNA molecules by size. The Rowley Lab strongly supports undergraduate researchers and has hosted 64 students over the past ten years. This work is made possible through support from federal funding agencies and the University of Idaho, which provides grants for independent undergraduate research projects. In addition, the lab supports two graduate students, a postdoctoral researcher, and two technicians. Helpful definitions and info about the lab tour 👉 What's a centrifuge? Lab equipment that rapidly spins samples to separate them by size, mass and shape. 👉 -80°C Freezer Home to thousands of living yeast and bacteria samples, frozen and sealed for decades. 👉 Gel Loading Placing DNA samples into small wells in a gel. Voltage separates DNA molecules by size. About the series: 'Lab Tours' is a student-led video series that takes you inside real labs at University of Idaho. Each episode follows a student exploring a new lab, meeting the people behind the research and trying something hands-on. No script. No staging. Just real experiences. Discover more about the Rowley Lab at https://www.rowleylab.com/about-the-lab-1 Chapters: 0:00 Intro 1:13 Walking to the lab 2:48 Tour guides 4:24 What's a biosafety lab? 5:35 Killer toxins & research 6:35 Negative 80-degree freezer 7:00 Lab challenge 11:15 Incubators and centrifuges 12:03 Goop, powders, & yeast extract 13:12 Julia 13:29 Caffeine 13:44 Liquid nitrogen 14:38 Lab challenge results 15:55 The student experience 17:48 Exiting the lab #UIdaho #Lab #Biology #biosafety #MicroBiology #HandsOnLearning #CollegeLife #College #LabTour