One of the great things about the CATCH student is the extensive student involvement by our Undergraduate Research Assistants (UGRAs).  We have students working both in the clinic, gathering samples from our cases and contacts, and in the lab, processing these samples.

Clinical UGRAs greet the participants, go through the consent with them, and then get some basic information like temperature.

Then, depending on what type of visit that participant is there for, they’ll give some samples.  Clinical UGRAs can take MT swab samples, and capillary blood samples.

Samples are then brought up to the lab, where our Lab UGRAs take over.  Serum and swabs are processed and logged.

The swab samples are then analyzed to determine what, if anything, the participant is infected with.

We are so grateful for all of our UGRA assistance, and are really excited to be able to offer so many students that opportunity to participate in the CATCH project!