Greek
Authors
Anastasios Koutsos, Alexandra Manaia and Julia Willingale-Theune
Description
We are living at a time when scientists around the
world are working on one of the most ambitious projects
ever thought up by man: 'The human genome project'.
Now that the genome has been sequenced, the new
challenge is to work out what the individual genes
do, and to do so scientists are designing sophisticated
tools. One such tool is the DNA microarray, or DNA
chip, which promises to carry the science of understanding
genomes to a whole new level. These highly sophisticated
tools cannot be reproduced in the school lab, but
their underlying concepts can be illustrated in
the classroom using 'The Virtual Microarray'.
The virtual microarray brings cutting-edge science
into the classroom by simulating the different steps
that researchers take in performing microarray experiments
and in analyzing their results. Real
and virtual microarrays step by step [PDF]
Although we have tried our best to adjust the examples
and illustrations in the 'virtual microarray' to
correspond to the procedures in the 'real microarray',
on occasions, which are implicitly mentioned, the
procedures differ. We have also included a section
that contains technical information and suggestions
on how to perform the virtual microarray experiment
in the classroom. In
the classroom [PDF]
Finally, you will also find a 'Reading Club' section,
Reading
Club [PDF], where we present and explain original
research articles written by scientists who have
used the microarray technique to answer important
biological questions.
Target audience
Age 16-18 years
Objective
Using 'hardware' [a custom-made mat, Velcro and
torches] and 'software' [metaphors], we guide you
step by step through this new technology and give
you some glimpses of its possible future applications.
GCSE Syllabus
Advanced Subsidiary GCE and Advance GCE specifications for Human Biology This activity can be used to review and reinforce concepts taught in the modules:
Growth, development and disease The developing cell
The developing individual
Genetics, homeostasis and ageing Genetic disease
Materials
Introduction
to DNA Microarrays [PDF]
DNA and
the cell [PDF]
Real
and virtual microarrays: Step by step [PDF]
In the classroom
[PDF]
Teacher's
guide to clustering exercises [PDF]
Clustering
exercises for the classroom [PDF]
Teacher's
guide to microarray exercise [PDF]
Microarray
exercise for the classroom [PDF]
Reading
Club [PDF]
Etiquettes
for torches [PDF]
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the following individuals for
their advice and help during the making of this activity:
Udo Ringeisen and the entire staff of the EMBL Photolaboratory
for printing the virtual microarray mat and the 'lite'
version, for use in the classroom;
Thomas Sandmann, PhD student at EMBL, Heidelberg, for
helpful discussions and suggestions, and for drawing
our attention to the excellent educational material
of the NIH Office of Science Education supported by
the Office of Research on Women's Health called 'Snapshots
of Science and Medicine';
Russ Hodge of the Office of Information and Public
Affairs [OIPA] at EMBL Heidelberg, as well as the
European Learning Laboratory for the Life Sciences
[ELLS] staff, for helpful discussions, suggestions
and never-ending encouragement;
Dr. Giovanni Frazzetto, Mehrnoosh Rayner and Vassiliki
Koumandou for reading through the first version of the
virtual microarray teacher's guides;
Friends and staff of EMBL Heidelberg with whom we shared
our ideas, enthusiasm and concerns;
The microarray exercise has been adapted from 'Snapshots
of Science and Medicine' which can be found on the following
web page science-education.nih.gov/snapshots
Pictures for the 'DNA and the Cell' section are from
The Molecular Biology of the Cell, 4th Edition
Garland Science.
Copyright © 2005 European Molecular Biology
Laboratory |
