Today, we were with a specific lab group, the IVRT, or the in-vitro release testing group. As the name suggests, this research team aims to discover whether a topical substance can penetrate the skin, and to what degree. Although dead skin samples from frozen cadavers are used to stimulate real skin, a different section of the IVRT department utilizes real skin cells for skin irritation testing. In skin penetration testing, glass pipe-like devices constantly circulated with distilled water are utilized to simulate the bloodstream, while a t hin slice of skin is placed to cover a hole above to simulate the skin’s many layers. After testing, the different skin samples, which can be up to a sample size of 90, the different layers–dermis and epidermis–are sectioned off to see if the drug was released into the layer, if at all.
Later, we shadowed as the lab technicians performed some mundane–but highly important–tasks. For example, every action, from cleaning the glassware to how much of a chemical was used, was meticulously documented in a lab notebook. Brandon, our guide for the day, told us that there hasn’t been any accidents so far–for example, the emergency showers have fortunately never been used so far. To me, it seems as if these safety procedures have been extremely effective.
I experienced both the science and the not-so-science sides of labwork today, which gave me lots of insight into the lab procedure. I look forward to the remainder of the week.