Biotechnology in Your School
Workshop for Counselor & Science Teacher Teams (Grades 6–12)
WSU Spokane CityLab—in collaboration with Spokane Community College and the EWU Biotechnology Program, and supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation—is offering a professional experience for science teachers and career counselors.
Upcoming Events for Teachers and Counselors
Spring 2009 Reconnect Workshops
- February 2009: Seattle
- March 2009: Spokane
1. Share curricular and laboratory activities conducted or planned using grant materials.
2. Continue to develop partnerships among guidance counselors and science teachers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
3. Receive additional teaching materials to guide exploration of career choices in biotechnology.
4. Receive a $100 stipend, travel funds, and reimbursement for substitute teachers.
- Culminating one-day conference: June 2009 in Spokane
- Phase One, Two and Three teachers will present their accomplishments of the previous three years.
- Hear about the latest trends in biotechnology and the needs of business, industry, academics, and medicine from regional biotech leaders.
- Receive "Biotechnology Education Infusion Guide Book," with resource materials, lab exercises, curriculum, and career counseling.
- Receive a $100 stipend and travel reimbursement.
Resources For Teachers and Counselors
BioRad Kits
High school teachers can request one or more of the following four BioRad
kits for use during the 2008–2009 school year:
pGLO Bacterial Transformation Kit
- Genetic engineering is the process of manipulating the genetic material of an organism — often to include the DNA from a foreign organism.
- In this activity, students transform bacteria by introducing a gene from a bioluminescent jellyfish. They use the same procedure for creating "designer proteins" that has led to the explosion of new health treatments, agricultural applications, and environmental solutions.
GFP Chromatography Kit
- Students begin this activity with the pGLO bacterial transformation kit. A colony of transformed bacteria are placed in liquid cultures overnight then lysed to release their cellular contents. GFP is purified from the bacterial contaminants using the HIC columns provided in the kit.
- The unique fluorescent property of GFP allows real-time monitoring of the extraction and purification processes. pGLO transformation and GFP purification together are key processes used in biotechnology to produce and purify designer proteins with commercial or research value.
ELISA Immuno Explorer Kit
- Explore biodefense, immunology, agriculture, and health science with this topical, hands-on classroom lab. The ability of antibodies to act like magic bullets and target viral, bacterial, and allergenic antigens in the body also makes them ideal biodetection tools in the hunt for antigens in bioscience research and medical diagnostic tests.
- This kit integrates multiple core content areas. It facilitates teaching about immune system functions and about the unique properties of antibodies that have revolutionized medicine, epidemiology, and life science research.
GMO Investigator Kit
- Students engage in a complete investigation in which they gather sample food items from the grocery store, extract DNA from the samples, amplify the DNA using PCR, and use gel electrophoresis to identify the presence or absence of amplified GMO sequences.
- The GMO Investigator kit uses PCR and DNA electrophoresis to test for the presence of two different GMO-associated DNA sequences: the 35S promoter of the cauliflower mosaic virus, and the terminator of the nopaline synthase gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
- These DNA sequences are present in most (>85%) of the GM crops that are approved for distribution worldwide. In addition, the integrity of the plant DNA extracted from food is tested by using PCR to amplify a section of the Photosystem II chloroplast gene that is common to most higher plants.
Electrophoresis Labs
Middle and high school teachers can request the following materials to conduct the electrophoresis series of labs (Electrophoresis Exploration, Dye Lab, DNA Lab):
- Agarose (pre-mixed)
- TAE Buffer (50X concentration)
- 1M Sodium Chloride solution
- Phenol Red
- Dye Samples (set of six)
- DNA samples (must be requested at least two weeks prior to use; must be stored frozen)
- Eppendorf tubes, pipette tips, 50 cc centrifuge tubes, pH paper
Please allow a minimum of two weeks for preparation and mailing of these materials.
Equipment Loan Program
Teachers can request these kits from the
WSU Equipment Loan Program.
Please indicate in the box at the bottom of the online request form that you are
part of the "Biotechnology In Your School Program" with WSU Spokane CityLab.
Basic electrophoresis kit:
- 4 power supplies
- 8 electrophoresis gel boxes
- Pipettes (2 – 20ul; and 20-200ul)
- 1 minifuge
- 1 light box
- Instruction manual
Advanced electrophoresis kit (e.g. required for the GMO BioRad Kit)
- 1 power supply
- 1 large electrophoresis gel box that runs multiple samples
- 1 PCR thermocycler
- 1 microcentrifuge
- 1 vortexer
- Pipettes (0.2 – 2.0ul; 2 – 20ul)
- UV light box
NOTE: If you plan to conduct a non-kit PCR lab with your students, please contact either Sylvia, Don or Suzanne for specific reagents, primers, and consumables you will need. Please allow at least three weeks for ordering and shipping these materials to you.
Contact Information
Sylvia Oliver, PhD
Director, Health Science Laboratory Operations and Education
Outreach, WSU Spokane
- Telephone: 509.358.7635
- E-mail: olivers@wsu.edu
- Mailing: PO Box 1495, Spokane, WA 99210
- Shipping : 412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202
Don Lightfoot, PhD
Director of Biotechnology, Eastern Washington University
- Telephone: 509.359.7082
- E-mail: dlightfoot@mail.ewu.edu
- Mailing: 258 Science Building, Cheney, WA 99004-2440
Suzanne Bassett, PhD
Life Science Instructor, Spokane Community College
- Telephone: 509.533.7433
- E-mail: sbassett@scc.spokane.edu
- Mailing: MS 2070, 1810 N. Greene St., Spokane, WA 99217
Debra Schultz, MS
K–12 Science Consultant
- Telephone: 509.838.2160
- E-mail: fixschultz@earthlink.net
Randy Knuth, PhD
Evaluation Consultant, Knuth Research, Inc.
- Telephone: 509.951.8278
- E-mail: Randy@knuthresearch.com
- Website: www.KnuthResearch.com
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DUE 0757292.