A regular part of our hemp molecular breeding program are DNA extractions. During this process, we take plant tissue samples and extrude the basic building blocks of all life: the As, Cs, Gs, and Ts that make up the genetic code for every living organism on our extraordinary planet (see https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/basics/dna for “What is DNA?”).
At this point in my career, I’ve done so many DNA extractions, I am usually cranking through these extractions with minimal thought, but today, while putting my samples in the centrifuge to spin around in a fast-paced orbit, I stopped for a minute to consider all the great things we’re doing here at Oregon CBD.
In my moment of deep contemplation, I snapped this quick photo.
Each one of those little green (or sort of rusty orange) wells contains DNA from one of the plants in our breeding program. 192 baby cannabis plants whose parents were carefully selected by our eccentric leaders, propagated by our fun-loving prop team, and cared for by the crazy bunch we call our production team. Finally, after some carefully controlled crosses, waiting (usually patiently) for seeds to develop, be harvested, and sown, the tiny seedlings make it to the science team.
