8 Lab Skills Every UCSD Microbiology Major Should Master: Vincent’s Story

The Microbiology program in UCSD’s School of Biological Sciences introduces students to key concepts in biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology while providing them with hands-on opportunities to develop key laboratory research skills. These hands-on skills are essential for students interested in conducting microbiological and/or medical research. Mastery of them — combined with theoretical knowledge on fundamental biology, chemistry, and physics — prepares students to pursue cutting-edge research opportunities with some of the top professors in the field.

To learn more about the most important skills for microbiology majors at UCSD, we reconnected with a Polygence alum, Vincent. Below, Vincent shares his journey and highlights the key lab skills and life skills that he relies on as a UCSD microbiology student.

Why Lab Skills Are Essential for UCSD Microbiology Majors

Biological (and microbiological) science happens not in books, but in labs. That’s why students pursuing Bachelor of Science degrees at UCSD are typically required to participate in practical labs that pair with theoretical coursework presented during lectures and in textbook readings. This combination of theoretical knowledge and matching practical skills provides students with the foundational experience to participate in exciting ongoing research projects led by established investigators. 

Qualified undergraduate students at UCSD can participate in research projects, including human medicine, biotechnology, epidemiology, bioenergy, and more. For example, as a first-year student, Vincent works as a laboratory technician in the Zheng Lab in the Department of Neurosciences, where he supports research on axon regeneration after spinal cord injury.

Professional Development and Career Preparation

Building practical lab skills is just one aspect of career readiness. UCSD students should also engage in professional development opportunities, including internships, research assistant positions, and laboratory workshops. Participating in seminars, conferences, or collaborative projects exposes students to the latest discoveries in microbiology and helps them build a network of mentors and peers. Staying proactive in professional growth positions students for competitive graduate programs, medical school, and industry roles after graduation.

Challenges UCSD Microbiology Students Face in Developing Lab Skills

The microbiology program at UCSD is a rigorous and demanding major that presents students with a number of tough challenges. Students must learn to balance their readings and coursework with lab responsibilities, which is especially challenging given UCSD’s fast-paced quarter system. This system, which divides the academic calendar into fall, winter, summer, and spring, compresses each course into just 10 weeks. For first-year students, it can be a real challenge to adjust to the pace of the quarter system and, at the same time, meet the strict demands and expectations of working in high-pressure research environments.

To help future students overcome these challenges, Vincent has laid out 7 specific skills that microbiology majors should focus on for success.

Vincent’s  8 Essential Lab Skills for Microbiology Majors

Genotyping Techniques

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the standard method for amplifying, or quickly producing many copies of, specific DNA (or RNA) fragments. The technique requires a starting sample of DNA, which is combined with the following:

• Adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine nucleotides

• DNA polymerase, which adds the complementary base pairings to the growing DNA strands

• A forward and a reverse primer, which bind to the target DNA sequence and are extended by the DNA polymerase

• A reaction buffer with stabilized pH between 8.0 and 9.5.

The mixture is then placed in a thermal cycling machine, which precisely raises and lowers the temperature to first denature the target DNA, then to allow for hybridization and annealing between the target DNA and primers, and finally to enable the polymerase to extend the primers.

Once this process is complete, the PCR product can be visualized and analyzed using agarose gel electrophoresis. In this process, the lab technician creates an electric field around a layer of porous gel to separate DNA fragments by length. When the power source is turned on, molecules with negative charge — like DNA — move toward the positive electrode. The agarose gel slows down DNA fragments based on their length: the shorter a fragment is, the farther it will travel during the time the current is run. Based on the distances traveled by the sample fragments, the technician can determine their lengths. Gel electrophoresis allows technicians to check for the presence or absence of specific DNA products based on fragment length.

As an undergraduate lab technician, Vincent regularly performs PCR and gel electrophoresis. His skill in conducting these processes and analyses is essential to his role on the research team.

Animal Model Management

Like many research groups, the Zheng Lab uses genetically modified mice in their studies of axons in the brain and spinal cord. In the lab, Vincent relies heavily on his skills with handling mice and managing mouse colonies. The DNA he uses in PCR and gel electrophoresis (described above) typically comes from the small snippets of the tails of mice. Before he can perform PCR, Vincent is responsible for chemically breaking down, or digesting, the mouse tail samples to extract their DNA. This typically requires combining the samples with a buffer containing proteinase K, incubating the mixture for several hours, and then separating out the DNA (often with a centrifuge). Finally, Vincent uses PCR and electrophoresis to determine the genotypes of mice.

Additionally, Vincent works to manage the mouse colonies used in the lab’s experiments. This includes feeding the animals, ensuring they are housed in a clean environment with stable temperature and humidity, monitoring their health, and more.

Managing and working hands-on with mice is an essential lab skill for Vincent, and for many other microbiology majors. It is a technical skill that students heavily rely on in their research roles.

Laboratory Safety and Best Practices

Safety is the cornerstone of effective lab work. UCSD microbiology majors must learn to handle chemicals, biological samples, and laboratory equipment according to strict safety protocols. This includes proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), safely disposing of hazardous materials, and understanding emergency procedures for spills or accidents. Incorporating these practices not only protects students and their peers but also instills a professional mindset that will carry over into graduate research or industry positions.

Data Compilation and Literature Review

Reading, reviewing, evaluating, and synthesizing literature (i.e., existing published research papers) in their field of study is often the first step in students’ own undergraduate research projects. Typically, students must read and critically synthesize between 40 and 60 scientific papers as part of their undergraduate theses. This often includes extracting relevant data and summarizing findings. 

This was a key skill that Vincent was able to develop and practice during his Polygence project: “What my mentor and I did was we looked through many research articles, and my mentor taught me how to take important information out of them. I was able to compile the data together to write my own literature review, where I compared the two treatments to see which one was more effective.” 

Literature reviews are important for student researchers in microbiology because they a) inform students’ own research and help them develop an experimental design within a research gap, and b) eventually, serve to contextualize their own results for readers.

Time Management in a Fast-Paced Environment

It can be a shock to many students when they first encounter the pace of college-level courses. Vincent notes that this is particularly true for universities on the quarter system, where courses are packed into just a few short weeks. “On a quarter system,” he says, “the academics are really fast-paced and there's not a lot of time for you to study compared to other systems. So one of the challenges definitely was, especially for science courses, the actual rigor of the course.”

Focus and Goal Orientation

Between extracurricular activities, social events, and other aspects of campus life, some students may be distracted from their academic and career goals. Vincent advises first-year microbiology majors to “stay focused on what you want to do when you go to college because there are so many distractions that can throw you off the path that you want to go into. So just try to stay focused.”

Vincent was able to use his Polygence project to narrow in on his academic focus and goals. “The topic of my research project also influenced me for my major,” he says. His project, which was on dentistry, taught him that he “wanted to learn more about how biology works in microenvironments,” leading him to focus on microbiology.

Networking and Collaboration

In addition to staying locked in and focused on your goals, Vincent also emphasizes the importance of networking for all science majors. “Try to always meet new people,” he says, “because you never know when there's an opportunity that can come up from someone else that you meet.” Building meaningful relationships with peers and research mentors can lead to valuable opportunities down the road, both later on during college and after graduation.

Adaptability and Perseverance

The ability to pivot and persevere through challenging moments is an essential skill for all college students. At some point during college, it is almost certain that students will encounter challenges and setbacks that feel insurmountable. Rather than remaining discouraged, students must adjust to increasingly rigorous demands and learn from the challenges they face in order to find lasting and sustainable success.

Soft Skills in the Laboratory

Success in microbiology is not just about mastering technical techniques; soft skills are equally essential. Being able to communicate clearly with peers and mentors ensures that experiments run smoothly and that research findings are accurately shared. Attention to detail is crucial when working with samples or recording experimental results, as even small errors can significantly impact outcomes. Additionally, problem-solving skills allow students to address unexpected challenges during experiments, while adaptability ensures they can pivot and learn new techniques as the lab environment evolves. Developing these soft skills early gives UCSD microbiology majors a strong foundation for both academic and professional success.

How Vincent Balances Academics, Lab Work, and Campus Life

Time management is an essential life skill for college students, who are often pulled in multiple directions. Creating and maintaining a simple strategy for balancing time spent across multiple commitments can make the difference in successful outcomes in those areas.

While emphasizing the importance of staying focused and organized, Vincent also recognizes the value of relaxation and socialization to avoid burnout. One of his favorite aspects of being a student at UCSD is being able to spend time with friends and roommates through extracurricular clubs. Simply joining an informal sports team has allowed him to make connections outside of the lab: “There is an intramural league where I've been able to play basketball with a lot of my friends.”

Advice for Prospective UCSD Microbiology Students

Vincent has valuable advice for prospective UCSD microbiology majors. First, he focuses on strategies for positive admissions results. In particular, he suggests that students start early and focus their energy on the “Personal Insight” questions. “Your personal insight questions really give admissions officers an insight into your life. If you can start early on your personal insight questions and make them about you, not about other people or your family members, but about you, then I think that's the best thing you can do for your application.”

Next, Vincent advises students to develop a clear focus and to remain oriented towards their goals at every step of their first-year experience. Avoiding distractions allows students to take maximum advantage of courses and early research opportunities. 

Finally, making an effort to frequently meet new people and network with peers and mentors broadens students’ awareness of ongoing projects and lays the groundwork for future opportunities.

Looking Ahead: Lab Skills and Career Preparation

Vincent’s journey demonstrates how developing practical research skills during high school can benefit first-year microbiology students as they navigate the transition into university-level coursework and research. These hands-on lab skills are valuable beyond undergraduate programs; students can continue to use these essential skills to grow and advance their future careers through internship programs, graduate school programs, medical school courses, and/or industry research positions.

Inspired by Vincent’s dedication and success? Polygence’s research mentorship program is designed to support high school researchers who are motivated and ready to build their research skills. Our alumni, like Vincent, have completed numerous individual biology research projects, preparing them for successful transitions into microbiology and other related STEM fields. Alternatively, Polygence Pods provides students with foundation knowledge through beginner-friendly classes such as infectious diseases, cancer biology, and genetics in healthcare.

Apply now to start building the essential skills for your career in microbiology!