The 11th grade Allied Health and BioHealth magnet students are learning about DNA technologies that scientist use every day, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Gel Electrophoresis. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a biochemical technology that allows scientists to make billions of copies of a single strand of DNA. Gel Electrophoresis is a method used for separation and analysis of macromolecules (in this case DNA) and separates fragments by size and charge. Using these two methods allows students to make lots of copies of the gene of interest and then be able to see the billions of copies separated out into bands on the agarose gels. This activity is part of a Project Lead the Way Medical Interventions unit where students learn about genetic counseling, tests and screenings.
