Educational Resources
Resources to help educators enable amazing science
Our Educational Resources Center is meant to help educators at every level find strategies to connect students with biology,
finding direct links between classroom practices and real-world applications of biotechnology.
miniPCR™ Real-world case studies
- STEM Education: Transforming biotech education in the classroom
- Animal health: PCR on the farm: Raising healthy animals
- Agriculture: Using genetics to grow better truffles (TED version here)
- Forensics: Bringing DNA analysis closer to the evidence
- Human health: Combating Ebola in Sierra Leone
- Human health: PCR diagnostics for mosquito-borne infections
- Biodiversity: From snakes to DNA sequences in 24 hours
- Biodiversity: Studying lemur genomes in the Madagascar forest (Case study. Publication.)
- Biodiversity: Real-time DNA barcoding in a remote rainforest using nanopore sequencing (Full-text PDF)
- Microbiology: Sequencing microbes on the ocean floor (NASA collaboration)
- Space biology: Enabling DNA sequencing in space (NASA collaboration)
- Space biology: First DNA amplification aboard International Space Station (watch video)
- Synthetic biology: Bioengineering on a simulated mission to Mars
- DIY Bio: Engaging with molecular biology at home
- Research: miniPCR™ in academic research labs
miniPCR™ Learning Lab Guides
Crime Lab – Missy Baker Missing
Genes in Space Food Safety Lab
PTC Taster Lab
miniPCR Sleep Lab
- Instructor’s Guide
- Student’s Guide
- Classroom Presentation
GMO Lab
Shark Attack Lab
blueGel™ Rainbow Lab
Genes in Space
- miniPCR partners to create Genes in Space STEM competition
- Visit Genes in Space student competition website
- Read blog articles on Genes in Space
Lab in a Box: Free miniPCR Loaner Kits
- Visit Genes in Space website to apply for a free Lab in a Box
DNAdots
- DNAdots: Simple Explanations of Modern Genetic Techniques
DNA101 Labs (with household ingredients)
- Strawberry DNA Extraction Lab (using household materials)
- blueGel Electrophoresis Rainbow Lab (using food coloring)
Technical papers and publications
- Mythbuster: Stability of PCR product at room temperature
- A simple, economical protocol for DNA extraction and amplification where there is no lab (Guevara et al., Conservation Genetics Resources 2017, DOI: 10.1007/s12686-017-0758-5) PDF
- PCR Detection threshold sensitivity: miniPCR vs. Biorad S1000
- Rapid identification of infections (Park et al., Science Advances 2016, Vol.2 No.5)
- miniPCR vs. Biorad iCycler
- miniPCR and blueGel used for Taq performance comparison
TED Talk
Videos
