Biology professor establishes histology lab for research
Article By: Staff
"It's working. It's working. It's working!" Dr. Cathy Whiting exclaimed as she used a microtome to slice wax with tissue embedded inside it. "It's nice after 30 years to realize I have not lost my touch."
A quartet of University of North Georgia (UNG) students then swarmed around Whiting, a professor of biology, to watch the process in the newly refurbished histology lab. Histology is the study of the microscopic structure of tissues.
"It's our first slices from this machine, and we have been trying all day," UNG senior Jessica Nix, a Flowery Branch, Georgia, resident pursuing a biology degree, said.
This successful action marked quite a feat. Whiting and her undergraduate research students waited for months for the microtome to arrive and signify the completion of the histology lab. Whiting received a Presidential Semester Incentive Award in spring 2021 to establish the lab, which teaches students how to prepare microscopic slides and perform basic staining procedures as well as immunohistochemistry.
"This lab opens a whole new world of research opportunities for UNG students," she said. "They can collect tissue samples, preserve them, embed them in wax, slice them up, and create microscopic slides to examine for research."
Whiting credits her students for encouraging her to establish the lab.
"In the past, my students would get frustrated because they couldn’t see a research project come to fruition," she said. "By creating the histology lab, they can design and run experiments as well as collect and analyze data in one or two semesters. They can take part in all parts of the scientific process."
This lab opens a whole new world of research opportunities for UNG students. They can collect tissue samples, preserve them, embed them in wax, slice them up, and create microscopic slides to examine for research.
Dr. Cathy Whiting
Professor of biology
Thanks to the presidential funds and the newly expanded spaces on the Gainesville Campus, a small research lab in the Science and Engineering building was converted into a histology lab in fall 2021.
"When the refurbished equipment arrived at my office door, it was like Christmas morning for me and my students," Whiting said.
Students jumped into action and set up the lab. They then familiarized themselves with the equipment and started the long process of preparing tissue samples for analysis.
Whiting said they completed their first round of immunohistochemistry during a weekend.
"They started at 1 or 2 p.m. Friday and stayed until 2 a.m. Saturday," Whiting said. "They repeated the process from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. That's a lot of hours for our students, but they were committed to it."
Josie Ayers, a junior pursuing a biology degree, said she loved making the solutions, because it is a straightforward process.
"It appeals to my methodical nature," the resident of Gainesville, Georgia, said.
Emily Munoz enjoyed the trouble-shooting process while Emily Harris felt the experience gave her a solid research foundation.
"I wanted to learn how to do research," Harris said. "I feel like I have learned a lot about the scientific method and gained critical thinking skills."
Whiting said the undergraduate research will serve the students well as they compete for graduate and professional programs. It will also provide them opportunities to collaborate with faculty and students from other institutions.
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