Summer 2003 Biotechnology Workshops
The UIUC-Hughes Biotechnology Education and Outreach Program (BEOP) is pleased to announce its Summer 2003 Workshops to be held on the UIUC campus. All workshops are FREE and lunch and snacks will be provided. Workshops will include content-area lectures, hands-on activities, and tours of UIUC facilities. These workshops are tailored for the high school classroom (the DNA Basics workshop covers topics appropriate for Grades 7-8). Housing can be arranged as needed. Participants will receive CEUs from the Illinois State Board of Education.
In this one-day workshop, participants will learn basic information about DNA structure and function. What is a genome? What is the relationship between chromosomes, DNA, and genes? We will carry out several activities that you can use in your classroom. Activities will include DNA isolation from your own cells, DNA isolation from fruit, and a variety of DNA models (3-D, paper, and kinesthetic). These activities do not require specialized equipment or supplies. The day will include a tour of a UIUC research laboratory that conducts studies of DNA. This workshop is appropriate for junior and senior high school educators.
How do the police solve crimes using DNA evidence? In this one-day workshop, you will learn the basics about DNA fingerprinting, the process of identifying differences in DNA sequences. Hands-on activities will include using a micropipette, digestion of DNA with restriction enzymes, and electrophoresis of food colorings and DNA, as well as paper DNA activities. The workshop will include a tour of a UIUC research laboratory that carries out DNA fingerprinting. Illinois teachers who complete this workshop will be able to borrow BEOP equipment and expendable supplies to carry out these experiments in their classrooms.
Genetic engineering affects all of our lives, from GMO crops to cloned animals. During this 2-day workshop, participants will learn about genetic engineering of plants and animals. Hands-on activities will include transformation of bacteria with a gene from jellyfish, which will make the bacteria glow in the dark. The workshop will include tours of UIUC laboratories that utilize genetically modified plants and animals. Illinois teachers who complete this workshop will be able to borrow BEOP equipment and expendable supplies to carry out this experiment in their classrooms.
Do you wonder how scientists can make sense of the BILLIONS of nucleotides in the human genome? How do they determine what is a gene and what is “junk”? A large part of this research involves using computers to analyze the sequence of nucleotides, in a process called “Bioinformatics”. Bioinformatics activities are easily carried out in the classroom because they only requires computers with an internet connection. No software is required (except an internet browser such as Netscape or Explorer). During this one-day workshop, you will learn bioinformatics basics and conduct several activities that can be used in your classroom. The workshop will include an exciting tour of the UIUC Biotechnology Center, which carries out DNA sequencing and bioinformatics.
To register for any of these workshops, please complete the following form. Spaces are limited and will be filled on a first-come first-served basis. Contact Dr. Carolyn Zanta for additional information (czanta@life.uiuc.edu; 217-265-0816; www.life.uiuc.edu/hughes/footlocker)