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Freshmen Experience Collegiate-Level Science Lab at Carnegie Mellon University
48 freshmen enrolled in the Biology I course traveled to CMU's Department of Biological Sciences to learn about molecular biology techniques.
On Tuesday, Nov. 7, 48 freshmen in Ms. Cassie Sirockman-Bell's Biology I courses traveled to Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Biological Sciences to conduct an experiment as part of an educational outreach program facilitated by Dr. Carrie Doonan, Teaching Professor and Director, Undergraduate Laboratories at Carnegie Mellon University.
With facilitation from 20 Carnegie Mellon and University of Pittsburgh students, freshmen learned molecular biology techniques, including pipetting, spread plating, incubation and centrifuging from the university students.
The students introduced a plasmid that contains the lux operon into a strain of E. coli. The E.coli will take up this lux plasmid through a process called transformation. The E.coli's DNA will be altered and the E. coli cells will glow in the dark after 48 hours of incubation.
"As a science teacher, it is important for all of my students to cultivate an interest in science," said Ms. Sirockman-Bell. "One way to do this, is to take students to perform a fun, hands-on collegiate level lab. At Central, we are privileged to be able to walk to the CMU, work with their molecular biology department and give our students this opportunity!"