Sample interview questions: How do you approach the design and execution of experiments to study the impact of environmental factors on microbial communities?
Sample answer:
Approaching Experiment Design and Execution
- Define Objectives and Variables: Clearly outline the research question, hypothesis, and variables to be studied (e.g., environmental factor, microbial response).
- Environmental Factors: Select relevant environmental factors (e.g., temperature, pH, oxygen availability) that may impact microbial communities. Control for or randomize confounding factors that could influence results.
- Sampling Strategy: Determine the optimal sampling sites, methods, and frequency to capture community composition and dynamics. Consider temporal and spatial variations.
- Microbial Analysis: Choose the appropriate molecular techniques (e.g., DNA sequencing, qPCR, FISH) to assess microbial diversity, abundance, and functional characteristics.
- Experimental Controls: Include appropriate controls (e.g., negative controls, positive controls, treatments with known effects) to ensure experiment accuracy and validity.