$19,845 GSK grant a first for Biotech Center summer program support
GRAHAM, N.C. June 16, 2009 - Nineteen science teachers from schools across North Carolina are learning to use microarray "gene chips" this week at a workshop at Alamance Community College sponsored by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.
The workshop, Teaching Genetics and Gene Expression Using Microarrays, is the first to focus on creative ways educators can use this tool to introduce the power of genetics to their students.
It's also the first time in the Biotechnology Center's 23-year history of providing summer teacher's workshops that a workshop is primarily funded through a corporate grant--in this case, a $19,845 contribution from the GlaxoSmithKline--Corporate Charitable NC Community Partnerships.
The workshop introduces otherwise experienced science teachers to one of the most powerful tools in today's biotech toolbox--DNA microarrays, which are used in research to efficiently identify the activity, or "expression," of many genes at once.
Early arrays were far too expensive to use in secondary schools or even in undergraduate education. But technological advances have cut these costs dramatically, allowing students to visualize expression of dozens of genes in one brief experiment.
The instructors of this workshop include two master teachers and two college educators. They'll design and test small arrays set up to meet instructional goals related to gene expression, genetics, forensics, and evolution. These goals are aligned with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. Participants will learn to load and operate an arrayer robot and will be given printed arrays and supplies for subsequent use in their own schools' classrooms.
Typical of the Biotechnology Center's popular teacher workshops held several times each summer, this session gives teachers a number of paper exercises and inexpensive lab activity ideas requiring few resources in the classroom.
This summer's series of nine workshops is being held on community college and university campuses across the state through July. They include one in Charlotte, also this week, for middle school teachers. Specialized workshops on marine biotechnology and agricultural biotechnology are also being held, along with the usual introductory biotechnology classes to help teachers become comfortable and have fun with the field when they return to their classrooms.
Co-directors of the Microarray workshop are Wes Bonds, Ph.D., recently retired as a biotechnology instructor at Western Carolina University, and Bill Woodruff, a long-time Alamance Community College biotech educator, administrator and consultant.
The master teachers are Noreen Naiman, Ph.D., a science teacher at the North Carolina School of Science and Math in Durham, and Scott Johnson, a biology instructor at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh.
Workshop lecturers will discuss array applications related to recent advances in medical genetics, toxicology, DNA forensics, and the National Geographic Society's human origins project.
The Biotechnology Center is a private, non-profit corporation supported by the N.C. General Assembly. Its mission is to provide long-term economic and societal benefits to North Carolina by supporting biotechnology research, business, education and strategic policy statewide.
Teachers participating in this workshop are:
Kelly Allen, of Hillsborough, East Chapel Hill HS, kallen@chccs.k12.nc.us
Bruce Boller, of Windsor, Bertie HS, bollerbw@yahoo.com
Sybil Burgess, of Winnabow, Brunswick Community College, burgess@brunswickcc.edu
Winn Clayton, of Louisburg, Franklinton HS, winnclayton@fcschools.net
Georgette Edgerton, of Badin, North Stanly HS, georgette_edgerton@scs.k12.nc.us
Kenneth Gracz, of High Point, T. Wingate Andrews HS, graczk2@gcsnc.com
Emma Johnson, of Shelby, Cleveland Community College, johnsons@clevelandcommunitycollege.edu
Judith Jones, of Chapel Hill, East Chapel Hill HS, jjonesae@gmail.com
Russell Jones, of Salemburg, Hobbton HS, russellj@sampson.k12.nc.us
Patricia Knight, of Mooresville, Jay M. Robinson HS, pjoyknight@adelphia.net
Mike Kowalski, of Charlotte, North Mecklenburg HS, mkowalski@carolina.rr.com
Beke Lindsay, of Casar, Central Cabarrus HS, blindsay@cabarrus.k12.nc.us
Melanie Locklear, of Linden, E.E. Smith HS, melanielocklear@ccs.k12.nc.us
Janet MacFall, of Graham, Elon University, macfallj@elon.edu
Julie McConnell, of Huntersville, North Mecklenburg HS, j.mcconnell@cms.k12.nc.us
Ruth Moss, of Greensboro, Grimsley HS, mossr@gcsnc.com
Chishimba Mowa, of Boone, Appalachian State University, mowacn@appstate.edu
Anastasia Smith, of Greensboro, Southwest Guilford HS, smitha11@gcsnc.com
Connie Wood, East Mecklenburg HS, connie.wood@cms.k12.nc.us
For more information contact: Chris Brodie, director of corporate communications and media relations, chris_brodie@ncbiotech.org or 919-541-9366.