Elisa was the final laboratory experiment for the RISE program. Elisa stands for enzyme linked imunoaborsbent assay, which was the first widely used screening test for HIV. The experiment involved adding chicken antigen to wells, washing away unnecessary items, then adding goat antibody specific to the antigen. Finally, an enzymatic substrate was added to detect if the antigen tested positive or negative for HIV based on the color change in the wells. The results for the student's table were all negative while another table had some positive results.

1. Ivan J. Garcia<br />RISE Program<br />Elisa Paragraph<br />Elisa was the final rise laboratory and our mentor was Dr. Chiesa. Elisa stands for enzyme linked imunoaborsbent assay. This was the first widely used screening test for HIV. Basically its purpose is to detect an antibody and/or antigen in a liquid solution. During this laboratory a chicken antigen and a goat antibody were used. There are specific antibodies for specific antigens in the market today. The first step is to add a solution containing an antigen to the wells and then several washes are performed to clean away unnecessary items; the result after these first washes is an antigen on the bottom of the well. Afterwards a solution containing an antibody specific for that Antigen is added. Then two more washes are performed with a buffer. <br />The wells should now have an antigen with its specific antibody attached to it. Finally an enzymatic substrate is added to this remaining antigen-Antibody connection. This substrate is what determines whether or not that antigen was positive for HIV or not. If the welds incorporate a blue or light blue color then they were positive for HIV. Our results were completely negative, while the other table had some positive results. Overall this lab was very educational and helped me better understand how aids test were performed. This Elisa test is still a principle method for detecting HIV and maybe, as a project, this test could be modified to detect other diseases and viruses.<br />