Students and Teachers Present Research in Kansas
Students and teachers at Northeast High School presented results from their GK-12 research at the 140th Annual Kansas Academy of Sciences meeting in Emporia Kansas. This group worked with GK-12 fellow Brooke Landon on developing techniques for performing DNA gel electrophoresis using household materials. Molecular techniques are central to much of biology research today, but the materials and equipment needed is often too expensive for the high school classroom. We have developed an agarose gel electrophoresis system for separating DNA molecules that uses 9-volt batteries, plastic containers, aluminum foil electrodes, and Crystal Light lemonade as the running buffer. Students working with Mr. Stan Ens submitted an abstract to the Kansas Academy of Sciences that was accepted and they presented a poster about their research. An abstract of the work and the published paper can be found here.