Learning Gene Therapy through
a Bacterial Transformation Lab
KRISTEN KOPF
ELK GROVE H.S.
RET 2010 TEACHING MODULE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
DECEMBER 4, 2010
Inspiration for Unit
 Summer research included techniques used for gene
therapy

Bacterial Transformation
 Techniques are possible in a high school lab
 Unit reflects current and exciting prospects in
science technology
Target Student Population
 Students in 9th and 10th grades taking Biology
 Average students
 Current ACT score 16-19
 6th grade – 9th grade reading levels
 Includes at-risk and English-language learners
 Students have already learned about DNA and
protein synthesis
Unit Objectives
 Describe how we can change an organism’s traits
 Explain the uses for and limitations of gene
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therapy
Explain the purpose of the laboratory steps for
gene therapy
Describe what is meant by the term “transformed
organism”
Read and follow a lab procedure
Identify a control in an experiment
Activities
 Gene Therapy Webquest
 Unit Overview Picture
 Bacterial Transformation PowerPoint
 Bacterial Transformation Introduction
 Bacterial Transformation Lab
 Lab Quiz
Gene Therapy Webquest
 Webquest created by the University of Utah
 Students will learn…
Definition of gene therapy
 Compare and contrast vectors used in gene therapy
 Practice reading for information

Unit Overview Picture
 Illustrates the major steps necessary for gene therapy
How do we isolate the gene?
 How do we get the gene into the cell?
 How do we get the cell to express the protein?

 For practice, cut up the stages and have students
place them in order
Bacterial Transformation PowerPoint
 Goes more in depth into the laboratory steps
necessary for gene therapy
Restriction Enzymes
 PCR
 Gel Electrophoresis
 Transform Bacteria
 Induce protein expression

 Students take Cornell style notes
Lab Introduction
 Students complete a reading and questions to
discover:
Definition of transformed organisms
 Purpose of an experimental control
 How we can give organisms a new phenotype
 How we will induce the expression of the pBlu gene to turn the
bacteria from white to blue

Bacterial Transformation Lab
 Cost = $109 for a kit with 8 stations

Carolina Biological
 Students transform bacteria to change their
appearance from white to blue
 Focus is on following a lab procedure

Storyboard
Lab Quiz
 Focuses on why students completed certain steps in
the lab procedure

Example: Heat shock
 Students must analyze plates and determine the
control
Anticipated Outcomes
 Increase in student engagement

“Feel like real scientists”
 Connection to past concepts
 Reinforcement of lab technique and data analysis
Acknowledgements
 RET 2010 Program NSF Grant #CBET EEC-0743068,
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NIH R01 NS055095, and R03 EY014357 (RAG).
The summer research was conducted in a facility
constructed with support from Research Facilities
Improvement Program Grant Number C06 RR15482
from the National Center for Research Resources, NIH.
Dr. Richard Gemeinhart, Research Mentor
Dr. Andreas Linninger, Program Director
Staff at Elk Grove High School
University of Utah for the gene therapy webquest