Supported by the Wellcome Trust, the fascinating workshops are part of the ‘Survival Rivals’ project, celebrating Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday and 150 years since the publication of ‘On the Origin of Species’.
The one-day workshops are called ‘A Question of Taste: Using PCR to investigate human evolution’ and explore the variation in our ability to taste a particular bitter flavour, and whether this gives us any evolutionary advantage.
Students work with their own DNA, using cutting-edge techniques to find out how their own genes impact upon their ability to taste the bitter flavour. Using DNA sequence information from the internet, they then go on to ask the same questions for chimpanzees.
Dr Leah Holmes is the project manager responsible for organising and running the workshops at Nowgen. “Our extensive programme of events for schools ensures that genetics education keeps pace with what’s happening in the fast-moving world of genetics research. These latest practical workshops allow students to get hands-on experience, applying what they learn in school and exploring some of the social and ethical issues associated with genetics.
“It is exciting to invite the students into our laboratory at the Nowgen Centre, as we can provide an insight into a genetics research environment; whilst at the same time broaden students’ knowledge about potential careers in bioscience.”
Nowgen is a not-for-profit organisation that works closely with teachers and education professionals to ensure that genetics is integrated into everyday teaching and learning. This is achieved through delivering workshops, teacher training and curriculum development.
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