Outreach Science Ontario

Biotechnology in the Classroom: a PCR and cloning lab module.
Equipment and reagents for this module are made available on loan through the
Department of Biochemistry
at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
Western University, London, Ontario Canada.

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Biotechnology in the Classroom

Outreach Science Ontario is a collaborative project between the Department of Biochemistry in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University and individual high school Biology teachers. The program is designed to facilitate hands-on learning of biotechnology by providing access to the equipment and reagents necessary to perform experiments in a high school enviroment. The Department of Biochemistry coordinates this lending program and works with teachers to provide safety orientation and training to enable them to carry out the experiments in their classrooms.

Our specific goals include:

• To increase high school student awareness of the value of biotechnology in our society.
• To demonstrate the relevance of biotechnology for career choices, such as health sciences and bioengineering.
• To introduce students to the fundamental principles of biotechnology, while experiencing its hands-on practical aspects.
• To enhance and complement the high school Biology curriculum.
• To act as an initial university level contact for students looking to further their education in health sciences and bioengineering.

Dr. Chris Brandl (Professor of Biochemistry at Western) provides an orientation session that qualifies teachers to obtain no-charge loans of the PCR or DNA Cloning kits. The kits contain all necessary reagents and equipment, optimized for use in high school classrooms, to complete a hands-on wet lab for 10 working groups of two or more students. Teachers are asked to pick up the kits at Western and return them after the one-week loan period.

These DNA Cloning and PCR experiments are tailored to fit with senior levels of Biology as outlined in the Ontario Science and Technology Curriculum. If you are interested in participating in this project please contact Dr. Chris Brandl (cbrandl@uwo.ca) in the Department of Biochemistry at Western University, London, Ontario.

Biotechnology in the Classroom is coordinated and supported by the
Department of Biochemistry in the
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, at
Western University, London, Ontario Canada.