LS-HHMI will offer laboratory workshops of approximately 3 hours to high school classes. Teachers may choose from the following topics:
The level of difficulty of each laboratory will be tailored to the individual class. Teachers will be required to communicate with LS-HHMI Outreach Coordinators ahead of time to determine what is appropriate for their students.
Laboratories will be offered every morning from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, during the five-week period from 2 March 2010 to 1 April 2010.
The program is FREE and is funded by Life Sciences at Harvard and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Applications must be filled out by high school biology teachers for grades 9-12. Classes from public, private, parochial, and charter schools in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire are welcome. Class sizes may not exceed 24 students because of space limitations. Go to the Application Page.
Application must be submitted online by Friday, 18 December 2009.
By 15 January 2010, accepted applicants will receive an email confirming their laboratory date. A packet of materials containing directions, parking information, and more detailed laboratory information will follow. In addition, teachers will need to communicate with the LS-HHMI Outreach Coordinators regarding their class' specific requirements. Teacher email address must be included on the application.
Polymerase Chain Reactions and Gel Electrophoresis:
Students will isolate DNA from their cheek cells and run PCR (Polymerase Chain Reactions) on their own samples, using a primer pair developed specifically for forensic testing. Students will then analyze their samples by gel electrophoresis and learn to identify homozygous and heterozygous individuals.
The Heart and the ECG:
Students will study the structure of the mammalian heart by dissecting a fresh calf heart. Then they will take and correlate blood pressure readings and sounds produced by the heart with the mechanics of the heart. They will also record an ECG in order to understand the correlation between the electrical signals and the cardiac cycle.
Neuroscience Investigations:
Students will learn about the nervous system and conduct experiments using mutant lines of the nematode, C. elegans, to explore sensory defects. They will also examine fluorescently labeled samples and discuss the applications of this important technique.
Zebrafish Embryology:
Students will study the fertilization and development of zebrafish, an important model organism. Students will learn how to stain zebrafish in order to distinguish between mutant and wild type embryos based upon structural differences.
Plasmid Technology:
Students will work with graduate students and postdocs from the FAS Center for Systems Biology. Groups of students will compare the ability of restriction enzymes to digest plasmids and discuss the applications of this technology.
Email questions to Tara Bennett.
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