Cluster 1
Biotechnology
- Instructors: Paul Feldstein, LeAnn Lindsay & Adam Telleen
- Prerequisite: Biology, and Chemistry suggested
- Typical Field Trips: Novozymes, JGI
- This is a FIRST CHOICE option only.
Introduction
This cluster will cover such diverse areas as the sciences behind biotechnology, its history, the current state of biotechnology, and concerns about biotechnology as it changes our society. Students will have an opportunity to use core laboratory techniques that are used in both academia and the biotechnology industry. Planned outings include tours of Joint Genome Institute in Walnut Creek and several biotechnology companies such as Novozymes.
Core Course (4 Weeks)
Biotechnology Laboratory Techniques
The four-week course will focus on some of the common molecular biological techniques used in biotechnology, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), protein expression in bacteria, and DNA sequencing. Students will use such diverse materials as bacteria, bacteriophages, DNA and protein while working on several projects throughout the four-week course. Students will also learn the theory behind these techniques. This course will give the students a taste of what it is like to work in an academic or industry laboratory.
Supplementary Courses (2 Weeks Each)
Molecular Biology, Genetics & Biochemistry
This course will introduce the students to molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry as well as other sciences that touch on biotechnology. A brief history of these sciences and their effects on this emerging field will be discussed. This course is intended to give all of the students an appropriate background in the science that underlies biotechnology.
Biotechnology
This course will focus on the current state of biotechnology. Examples from both animal and plant biotechnology from academia and industry will be used. Applications of biotechnology to medicine and social aspects of biotechnology, such as the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment and the use or misuse of genetic information by insurance companies will also be discussed.
Spotlight
In our cluster, we have a variety of experiments that we do every year that illustrate the major techniques and concepts in modern biotechnology. Like most of the laboratory experiences that our students have had, the outcome of these experiments is known. We also try to give the students a more realistic laboratory experience by including an experiment for which we don't know the outcome. For example, we have attempted to purify chloroviruses, which are viruses that infect algae, from water samples brought by the students from around the state. As Einstein said, "If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?".
Modified 2010-12-16T20:00:00Z