Geneskool Exposes Local High School Students to Genetic Research
December 10, 2007
UNBC and Genome BC are collaborating on a special program for regional
high school students that will provide them with hands-on experience
with the latest genetic research technologies and methods.
Called “Geneskool,” the program places students in the roles of crime scene investigation to solve a fictional crime. In the process, they will be learning about molecular biology and genomics.
“This won’t be a lecture about genetics. Students will actually be extracting DNA from real samples and learning how to analyze it. It’ll be very different from a regular high school science class,” says Daniel Erasmus, a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology instructor at UNBC. “In the process, they’ll be working on the same campus as UNBC researchers who are working on cancer and the genetic factors behind other diseases such as cystic fibrosis.”
Students will be spending the full day on campus on the following days:
“We have had a terrific response to this program from students and teachers,” says Cathy Anderson of Genome BC. “Last year, a high school teacher told me that four of her students went into genetics as their field of study because of the experience they had during the Geneskool program. All of these students know about genetics because of television shows like CSI but very few of them actually get to experience what it’s all about. That’s the power of Geneskool.”
Members of the media are welcome to attend the Geneskool session on Wednesday with Mackenzie Secondary. The session will be open to media from 11am – noon. Geneskool will take place in the Teaching Laboratory: 8-424.
Contact:
Dr. Daniel Erasmus, Instructor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UNBC – 250.960.5191
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622
Called “Geneskool,” the program places students in the roles of crime scene investigation to solve a fictional crime. In the process, they will be learning about molecular biology and genomics.
“This won’t be a lecture about genetics. Students will actually be extracting DNA from real samples and learning how to analyze it. It’ll be very different from a regular high school science class,” says Daniel Erasmus, a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology instructor at UNBC. “In the process, they’ll be working on the same campus as UNBC researchers who are working on cancer and the genetic factors behind other diseases such as cystic fibrosis.”
Students will be spending the full day on campus on the following days:
- Kelly Road Secondary (grade 9) – Dec 10
- DP Todd Secondary (grade 10) – Dec 11
- Mackenzie Secondary (grade 12) – Dec 12
- Gateway Christian (grades 10-12) – Dec 13
- McBride Secondary (grade 10) – Dec 14
- School District 91 schools – Dec 20
“We have had a terrific response to this program from students and teachers,” says Cathy Anderson of Genome BC. “Last year, a high school teacher told me that four of her students went into genetics as their field of study because of the experience they had during the Geneskool program. All of these students know about genetics because of television shows like CSI but very few of them actually get to experience what it’s all about. That’s the power of Geneskool.”
Members of the media are welcome to attend the Geneskool session on Wednesday with Mackenzie Secondary. The session will be open to media from 11am – noon. Geneskool will take place in the Teaching Laboratory: 8-424.
Contact:
Dr. Daniel Erasmus, Instructor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UNBC – 250.960.5191
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622
