The Guardian of the Microorganism

My final year project is looking into the interaction between the biofilm produced by bacteria and the predator. The main goal is to elucidate how the biofilm protects the bacteria from the predator’s catch. The biggest difficulty is the time span. The experiment requires me to observe the situation in the petri dish for a consecutive 6 hours. Better time management and more meticulous control are the solutions to the problem. For example, since the experiment requires me to observe for 6 hours, then switching those 6 hours to my most energetic period of the day would definitely help. Luckily, this project is eventually awarded by the Royal Society of Biology in the UK, which is also the accreditation institute of my undergraduate program.

Mr. LI Shaoyang Alvin
BSc (Hons) Applied Biology with Biotechnology
Faculty of Science

Awards:

Top Project Award, the Royal Society of Biology

Domain Expertise:

Applied Biology

Alvin is a graduate in Applied Biology with a specialization in Biotechnology. He conducted a final year project in this field, focusing on the interaction between biofilm produced by bacteria and predators.

Bacterial Biofilm

Alvin's final year project aimed to study the interaction between bacterial biofilms and predators. He sought to elucidate how biofilms protect bacteria from predation.

Antibiotic Resistance

Alvin mentioned the uprising bacterial resistance as one of the reasons for starting his project on biofilm in P. aeruginosa. He believes that his research could contribute to addressing healthcare risks caused by antibiotic-resistant strains.

Scientific Research and Laboratory Techniques

Throughout his final year project, Alvin conducted laboratory experiments and data analysis. He acquired research skills, such as reading relevant literature reviews and academic papers, to enrich his scientific knowledge.

Healthcare and Medical Research

Alvin's interest in medical research and his plan to continue accumulating research experiences indicate a focus on contributing to the field of healthcare and medical advancements.

Lifelong Learning Excellence:

Learning-to-learn

The outstanding student, Alvin, recognizes that graduating from university is not the end of learning. He views undergraduate education as whole-person development, focusing not only on content knowledge but also on beliefs and methodologies. He plans to accumulate more research experiences to expand his skill set and keeps an open mind about future opportunities.

Research and Information Literacy

Throughout his final year project, Alvin gained valuable research skills, including reading relevant literature reviews and academic papers to equip himself with cutting-edge knowledge. He learned to analyze and interpret experimental data, which improved his data analytic skills.

Critical Thinking and Problem-solving

Alvin faced challenges in his final year project, particularly with the time span required for observation during experiments. To overcome this, he improved his time management skills by scheduling the experiments during his most energetic periods of the day.

Adaptability and Flexibility

In his final year project, Alvin encountered uncertainties and the need for meticulous control in wet-lab experiments. He demonstrated adaptability by adjusting conditions to ensure stable results and problem-solving skills by addressing minor changes that could impact the outcome.

Accountability and Motivation

Alvin experienced a family incident during his studies, which affected him emotionally. With the support and encouragement from faculty members, including his supervisor Dr. Chua, he exhibited emotional intelligence and resilience to overcome the challenges and complete his bachelor's degree on time.
Alvin's choice of the applied biology program was driven by his interest in science and coincidental events. He advises freshmen to try as many directions as possible to discover their interests and set long-term goals.

Communication and Presentation Skills

Alvin mentioned receiving significant help and assistance from PolyU members, professors, and lab members. He expressed gratitude for the support and encouragement from various individuals, highlighting the importance of effective communication and collaboration within an academic and professional environment.

Resourcefulness and Adaptability to New Contexts

Alvin's final year project focused on bacterial biofilm and its protection against predators. He believes that further elaboration on the mechanism of biofilm protection could contribute to discovering effective methods or drugs to combat antibiotic-resistant strains, addressing healthcare risks in hospitals and daily settings.

Inspiring Quotes:

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