From Swabs to Sequences: Following DNA’s Hidden Story
This project was one of those experiments that made me feel like a real scientist — the kind who turns invisible molecules into data you can actually see. The goal was to analyze DNA variants using PCR, gel electrophoresis, and sequencing, and while it sounds intense, it was honestly so much fun from start to finish. What still amazes me is this: every cell in your body has about 2 meters of DNA, all packed into something you can’t see without a microscope! In this lab, I got to amplify and read tiny pieces of that DNA using real research tools.
Turning Invisible DNA Into Something You Can See:
After preparing the samples, the real excitement started with DNA extraction. Using enzymes and heat, the cells were broken open so the DNA could be released. Fun fact: DNA is surprisingly tough — it can survive boiling temperatures long enough to be copied later during PCR! Once the DNA was ready, I moved on to PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), which is basically a molecular copy machine. PCR can take one tiny piece of DNA and make millions of copies in just a couple of hours. That’s wild when you think about it.The thermal cycler heated and cooled the samples over and over again, allowing the DNA to:
Unzip
Bind to primers
Build new strands
Each cycle doubled the amount of DNA — exponential growth at the molecular level.
Gel Time; DNA on Display:
After PCR, it was time for one of my favorite parts: gel electrophoresis. DNA has a negative charge, so when you place it in an electric field, it moves through a gel — smaller fragments move faster than larger ones. Fun fact: scientists figured this out because DNA’s phosphate backbone is naturally negatively charged — nature basically built it to run gels. Watching the bands appear under the gel illuminator felt like magic. Those glowing lines were proof that the DNA amplification worked. It’s one thing to learn about this in a book — it’s another thing to actually see it happen.
From Bands to Bases:
To go even deeper, the samples were sent out for Sanger sequencing, a method that reads DNA letter by letter. Once the results came back, I analyzed them using DNA Subway, comparing sequences and looking for differences between variants. Fun fact: Sanger sequencing was invented in the 1970s — and it’s still used today because it’s incredibly accurate.Seeing real DNA sequences on my screen made everything feel connected — from the tiny cells at the start to the final data at the end.
Why I Loved This Lab:
This experiment showed me how many steps it takes to turn something invisible into something understandable. It wasn’t just about following instructions — it was about problem-solving, observing patterns, and trusting the science.Most of all, I loved how hands-on everything was. From pipetting to running gels to analyzing data, every step felt like I was uncovering a secret hidden inside cells. Science like this reminds me that big discoveries start small — sometimes as small as a single strand of DNA.
