Biotechnology in the Classroom: Real World Applications of DNA Science
Help me give my students bacterial transformation kits and DNA analysis kits to learn cutting edge biotechnology techniques and the function of DNA.
FULLY FUNDED! Dr. Hanono's classroom raised $901
This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
Our school is in one of the largest public secondary school districts in the state, and we are one of the largest schools in the district with almost 3,000 students. In recent years, the size of our student body has increased dramatically, and with the growth of our site, the laboratory resources available have not necessarily kept up with the increasing size of the school.
My students are looking for real-world applications of what they learn in high school.
I have students at different high school grade levels in three types of classes. The students in my medical biology and medical accelerated biology classes are mostly in their first year of high school and are energetic and motivated. These are students who chose our school's medical pathway because of their interest in a possible future in medicine. On the other hand, the students in my biotechnology class are upperclassmen with an interest in science and are learning the basic skills to work in a laboratory setting; in fact for many of the biotech students this is their third or fourth year of science.
My Project
Biotechnology is a fast growing field that affects all of our lives more and more each day. As such, students should gain an understanding of some of the basic techniques that are used by researchers all over the world.
Students are more engaged when their work in school can be directly linked to applications in the real world.
The kits purchased though this project will be used in two different types of classes to help students better understand the function of DNA and learn some basic biotech techniques used for human benefits.
My medical biology students will be introduced to genetic engineering through a process called bacterial transformation. Through this process, students will see how a sequence of DNA can be controlled to ultimately code for the trait of an organism. Here, students will introduce a sequence of DNA from a bioluminescent jellyfish that codes for the green fluorescent protein (GFP) into bacteria. Since the generic code is essentially universal, the bacteria will interpret that DNA to make the encoded protein that will affect their trait. In this case, bacteria that take up the jellyfish DNA sequence for GFP should glow green due to the presence of that added DNA. Similar bacterial transformation techniques have been used in the biotech industry for the production of human proteins, like insulin, needed to treat diabetes.
My biotechnology students will examine another aspect of DNA technology. Rather than look at gene expression, they will use separate kits to learn how differences in DNA sequences themselves can be used to distinguish individuals through the analysis of DNA from a simulated crime scene.
Half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Dr. Hanono and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
