On Thursday the 1st of March I presented my masters research to the department in the form of a spoken presentation in the Zoology Department tea room. Although I still have a fare way to go before I complete my thesis, the talk was an awesome opportunity for me to show-off what I have done …
Continue reading Zoo Department Masters Research Presentation
Today I received my samples back from their holiday in Amsterdam, and I am happy to announce that all but one sample worked. The samples from today coupled with the samples I received last month amount to 75 successfully sequenced samples to date. These samples, which comprise four genes, make up a large proportion of …
I am roughly six months into my Master’s and this is my second post on the subject. Although I am not overly proud of my Msc coverage on the website, I am rather ‘chuffed’ with my research progress to date. My genetic samples are ‘amplifying’ and better yet, they are translating into clean, usable sequences, …
So as I am sure you have you gathered, I could not let the little 'sheep stabbers' go. Instead of just finishing my honours and leaving the skaapstekers in my rear view mirror, like I did with the painted reed frogs, I decided to continue on studying the snake with the addition of everyone else …
The text in this submission was adapted from my project manuscript which was submitted as part of my Zoology Honours course. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) (Mart.) Solms-Laub, is an invasive South American water weed that was originally imported into South Africa more than 100 years ago because of its beauty as an ornamental plant in …
I am doing a genetics project, and whilst I have come to understand the 'fundamental' processes which underlie molecular biology, there are many people out there that don't. This post thus serves the purpose of teaching those of you who interested, just a little bit about what I do and how I do it. I …
In 2015, I completed my first project as a Zoology student, and I am proud to say it is currently being peer reviewed for inclusion in the Biocontrol Science and Technology journal. It has been submitted as a short communication (a shortened version of a scientific paper). In addition to being submitted for peer review, it was …
Continue reading Parrots feather Biocontrol Project abstract
Unlike last year which saw me producing one project in pursuit of my zoological degree, this year is quite different. This year I am expected to produce two projects. Both fall within the field of herpetology but that’s about all they have in common. My other project which ventures to unravel the secrets of spotted …
I have loved snakes for as long I can remember. They fascinate and inspire me to read more and more. They very well may be the thing I choose to base my life’s work on one day, and it’s this love that has steered me towards my latest Zoological endeavour: the study of spotted skaapstekers …
