Debunking the 4° C Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Myth
Myth:PCR product needs to be refrigerated if left overnight in the thermal cycler. Truth 1: DNA will be stable for days, even weeks, inside a PCR tube. Truth 2: Extended cold holds will reduce your PCR machine’s lifetime. Many scientists and other polymerase chain reaction (PCR) users believe samples need to be refrigerated immediately after […]
Carolina® Biotechnology at Shenandoah Valley Symposium
A Carolina Case Study FAST FACTS Interviewees Mr. Myron Blosser, Harrisonburg High School, Harrisonburg, Virginia Professor Ken Roth, Blue Ridge Community College, Flat Rock, North Carolina Professor Tim Bloss, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia Challenge Providing students with hands-on experience in biotechnology techniques while saving busy teachers precious time. Solution Carolina® Biotechnology Lab Kits Results […]
Bacteriophages in Human Disease
Friends and Foes Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. They are a major agent of horizontal gene transfer between bacteria–a concept covered in AP® Biology and other biology classes. What students may not be aware of is the role bacteriophages play in human disease. Bacteriophages play a critical role in some human diseases You would […]
Gathering, Visualizing, and Interpreting Data
“Data, data, data. I can’t make bricks without clay!” Sherlock Holmes This quote from the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes is a perfect analogy for teaching your students about working with data. Data are the raw materials from which scientists draw conclusions and develop theories. Data collection and analysis is a large part of every scientist’s […]
Genetic Differences Affecting Taste and Smell
To Smell, or Not to Smell–That Is the Question Why is coffee a morning necessity for some people but entirely too bitter for others? What makes roses smell lovely to some, while others can smell nothing at all? As humans, we perceive tastes and smells differently, and to understand why those differences exist we need […]
The Science Behind Lactose Intolerance
In partnership with the DNA Learning Center (DNALC) at the famous Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, we developed a kit that brings the connections between lactose intolerance, evolution, and enzyme functionality into the hands of students.
Investigating Enzyme Reaction Rates Using Toothpickase
A dry lab activity Objectives At the end of this activity, students should be able to demonstrate their understanding of the vocabulary describing an enzyme reaction, including the following terms: enzyme, quaternary structure, active site, substrate, products, V-max, substrate concentration, competitive inhibitors, and enzyme concentration. Background The vocabulary needed to describe an enzyme reaction can […]
Fox Domestication and Poison Resistance in Rodents
Examples to Use When Teaching About Selection and Evolution: Fox Domestication and Poison Resistance in Rodents Evolution and the role that natural selection plays in evolution can be difficult to teach. Evolution occurs over many generations and generally over long periods of time, increasing the abstraction of the concept for many students. Using concrete examples […]