Bioscience Training Modules

Regional Biotech uses laboratory training modules to teach 5-12 grade students new and exciting concepts in biotechnology.

The modules are hands-on, inquiry-based experiments that stimulate critical thinking skills and encourage student interest in science related fields.

The modules are listed below.

Crucial Concentration
In Search of the Body's Antibodies
The Mystery of the Crooked Cell
The Case of the Crown Jewels
Nothing Fishy About Evolution
This Little Light of Mine
DNA Exposed!
The Search for a Jumping

Biotech Newsletter

Regional Biotech is approved by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification as a provider of Continuing Professional Education (CPE). Each training module provides 3-4 CPE clock hours and offers teachers different teaching aids to help them advance their students' knowledge and understanding of various science concepts and skills.

The Crucial Concentration 

Protein quantitation is highlighted as a laboratory investigation. Students will develop skills, using micropipettes and the spectrophotometer to determine the amount of protein in a set of unknown solutions.

Objectives:

• Apply the general concept of quantification to a Lowry Assay
• Collect data using a spectrophotometer
• Use data to produce a standard curve
• Use a graph to find the concentration of an unknown concentration of protein

PowerPoint presentation.
Presentation in .PDF format.
Actual training document with TEKS Reference.

In Search of the Body's Antibodies 

Students perform an Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) to screen a hypothetical patient for the presence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (simulated viral extract is used).

Objectives:

 
• Create a method to test for AIDS given models of antibodies and antigens
• Perform an ELISA test to diagnose fictional patients for exposure to HIV
• Analyze the results of the ELISA
• Use the spectrophotometer to create a standard curve to be used for quantitation given an OD reading of an unknown sample of serum

PowerPoint presentation.
Presentation in .PDF format.
Actual training document with TEKS Reference.

The Mystery of the Crooked Cell 

This unit explores the molecular basis of sickle cell anemia. Electrophoresis is used as a diagnostic tool to differentiate sickle cell from normal hemoglobin.

Objectives:

 
• To perform gel electrophoresis to distinguish normal hemoglobin from sickle cell hemoglobin
• To interpret the results of gel electrophoresis
• To demonstrate the concept and process of gel electrophoresis

PowerPoint presentation.
Presentation in .PDF format.
Actual training document with TEKS Reference.

The Case of the Crown Jewels 

In this exploration, students will learn about DNA restriction analysis, more commonly known as DNA fingerprinting. They will apply this technique to solve a forensic or medical mystery. (An Advanced Placement required laboratory).

Objectives:

 
• Model the process of DNA restriction analysis
• Perform a restriction digest and electrophoresis
• Analyze the results of the completed DNA gels

PowerPoint presentation.
Presentation in .PDF format.
Actual training document with TEKS Reference.

Nothing Fishy About Evolution 

In this module, students will isolate muscle proteins from various fish species and analyze them using denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) in order to see if there is a correlation between biomolecules and evolutionary relatedness.

Objectives:

 
• Simulate protein isolation from fish, and the ordering of those proteins by size
• Determine possible relationships between various hypothetical fish species based on their proteins
• Learn the basic theory behind separation of proteins by gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE)

PowerPoint presentation.
Presentation in .PDF format.
Actual training document with TEKS Reference.

This Little Light of Mine 

In this module, students use common biotechnology techniques to transform bacteria with recombinant plasmid DNA. The plasmid causes the bacterial to glow in the dark.

Objectives:

 
• To learn about the various methods used to grow bacteria
• To learn about the process of bacterial transformation
• To understand the relationship between genes and phenotypes
• To learn ways of detecting various phenotypes in bacteria

PowerPoint presentation.
Presentation in .PDF format.
Actual training document with TEKS Reference.

DNA Exposed! 

In this module, students isolate DNA from their own cells. They will precipitate the DNA so that it can be seen, and then introduce the DNA suspension into a pendant that can be worn around the neck.

Objectives:

 
• To successfully isolate DNA from cheek cells
• To make a pendant of student DNA which the student can take home

PowerPoint presentation.
Presentation in .PDF format.
Actual training document with TEKS Reference.

The Search for a Jumping Gene 

PowerPoint presentation.
Presentation in .PDF format.
Actual training document with TEKS Reference.