It was also the time he began his work in earnest on protein crystal growth. Trying to grow protein crystals in earth-based laboratories, McFerrin said, can be as exasperating as it is exhilarating. In order to obtain high quality crystals for analysis, the experimental set-up used to grow crystals has to be flawless. Crystals are obtained by first collecting and purifying a small amount of the protein significant in the make-up of a particular disease. By slowly removing the water, most crystals will begin to grow in a few days or weeks.
Protein crystals are soft and very fragile.
Once grown, they must be handled with extreme care, or they could crack or dissolve. One of the projects McFerrin was working on was carried out aboard the STS-95 mission in late 1998. Crystals from the protein dehydratase, will be grown for potential medical applications for treatment of genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis. Md. McFerrin's decision to attend UAH can best be described as an iffy situation that turned out to be the most positive step toward the future he could have taken. I didn't do anything about college until the last minute.