The DNA Experience
PUBHLTH400JRP
Environmental Health Sciences Teaching Laboratory
Goessmann 255
Instructor:
Professor J. Richard Pilsner, PhD MPH
Assistant Professor
Environmental Health Sciences
Office: 149F Goessmann
Email: rpilsner@schoolph.umass.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Credits:
Prerequisites: A 100-level Biology course. Public Health majors only
SPIRE course description: This laboratory course will provide students with hands-on
experience with essential laboratory methods use for public health research. Through a
series of laboratory modules, students will learn to isolate and quantify their DNA, and
perform PCR for DNA fingerprinting and genotyping. Other modules include Crime Scene
Investigator, bioinformatics and epigenetics.
Course description:
Genetics is the cornerstone of public health yet students do not have opportunities to apply
genetic concepts outside of a traditional lecture-based classroom. The DNA Experience
integrates genetic concepts with hands-on experiments utilizing the 3P’s approach to
science education: problem posing, problem solving and peer persuasion. While students
isolate their own DNA, they will learn the structural properties of DNA. Hardy-Weinberg
equation will be taught through the PV92-Alu insertion on chromosome 16. Students will
also learn about genetic cloning while testing the presence or absence of geneticallymodified (GM) foods. Other concepts include natural selection and gene-environment
interactions through genotyping their PTC gene’s nonsynomous SNP, which predicts the
phenotype of bitter tasting. Finally, students will learn how to navigate through the human
genome through bioinformatics techniques.
Required Texts or Readings: Laboratory manual (in prep)
Week Date
1
TBD
Topic
Introduction
2
DNA isolation
3
DNA quantification
4
DNA
electrophoresis
DNA fingerprinting
5
Readings Due/Assignments Due/In-class
Activities
 Class overview
 Pipetting 101
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6
First exam
7
Crime Scene
Investigation
Students isolate DNA from buccal swabs.
Environmental Health and Safety lecture
Complete OWL laboratory training
Students will measure the quantity and
quality of DNA through UV
spectrophotometry
Human Subjects (IRB) training lecture
Students build their own electrophoresis
Students will use PCR to amplify Alu, PV92,
on chromosome 16
Gel electrophoresis
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium using class data
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students will use PCR and restriction
enzymes to generate a distinct set of DNA
fragments for provided DNA samples
 Students will learn genetic engineering
techniques, Mendelain inheritance and
ethical issues of DNA profiling
 Students introduced to the “dry-lab” science
via the online tools needed to access genomic
information.
 Primer design for PTC polymorphism
Students introduced to cloning via the
presence/absence of two GM-associated DNA
sequences in food they buy at the supermarket.
8
Bioinformatics
9
Detecting genetically
Modified (GM) Foods
10
Pharmacogenomics: Using primers designed during the bioinformatics
To taste or not to
class, students will perform PCR-RFLP to determine
taste
their genotype of the PTC gene.
TBD
Epigenetics:
DNA is not destiny
Second Exam
11
12
13