Year 13 Applied Science students recently visited the Microbiology laboratory at Antrim Area Hospital and followed the journey that biological samples take during testing. The department gets many different types of samples sent in from GP surgeries, wards and outpatient departments. Pupils saw equipment that identified the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and bacteria in a blood sample and were shown different types of bacteria on agar plates. They also had the opportunity to look at the layout of the lab as well as Health and Safety procedures, all of which will be very useful in the next task of their portfolio work.