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This summer, we hosted another Sac charter high school graduate and a visiting community college student through AvenueM for a summer research experience! During the 8 week program, the students used CRISPR techniques to create knockout genes of interest in zebrafish embryos and used imaging data to assess phenotypic changes! They created visualizations to present their findings. At the end of the summer, our high school student presented her work at the Sac charter summer research symposium!
Back to Sac charter High School for our (now yearly) genomics outreach event! Once again, we conducted several sessions throughout the day and had the chance to work with several batches of juniors and seniors. Students learned about DNA extraction, PCR, and gel electrophoresis and put these concepts into practice to identify the perpetrator of a kidnapping case! We also brought some zebrafish for students to view under the microscope and explained how we utilize model organisms to investigate the functional role of genes.
This summer, we hosted two more Sac charter high school graduates for an 8 week research program! Students got to do some fluorescent zebrafish injections and image them with Zebrabox. This year, they also had the chance to analyze some of the data they collected and learned bioinformatics techniques to analyze sequencing data. At the end of the summer, the students gave a talk during lab meeting and at the Sac charter summer research symposium!
We’re excited to return to Sac charter high school for our forensics outreach event! This year we were able to work with many more students, conducting several sessions throughout the day. Students learned about DNA, inheritance, and genotyped suspects using PCR and gel electrophoresis. We hope to come back again next year!
This summer we had the awesome opportunity to host 2 students that just graduated from Sac charter high school! Over 6 weeks, our visiting students injected zebrafish embryos with eGFP, learned how to model ASD conditions with zebrafish, got an introduction to bioinformatics and genome assembly, and gave an oral presentation during lab meeting and at the Sac charter summer research symposium!
After a long hiatus during the pandemic, we had the opportunity to return to Sacramento Charter High School to conduct a forensic DNA workshop through which students learned about PCR, pipetting, and restriction enzymes. Students put these concepts into practice and ran gels to gather clues and identify the perpetrator of a kidnapping.
We’re excited to have had the opportunity to teach an awesome group of senior high school students about forensic DNA, restriction enzymes, pipetting techniques, PCR and gel electrophoresis. We previously conducted a workshop at this school and the teachers/students enjoyed it so much they contacted us to visit them again! Yay!!! This time ~14 students participated in the activity which consisted of identifying the DNA of a suspected murderer. In addition, we had a Q/A panel discussion about graduate school and what our fields (genetics and neuroscience) are. Graduate student Colin coordinated this activity.
This year we were able to participate in the 2019 Science Expo at the Marguerite Montgomery Elementary school. Attendees learned about the structure of the DNA while making a bracelet of the participants favorite organism. Graduate student Colin and postdoc Alex were able to teach about DNA to ~150 kids.
Picnic Day was a lot of fun! Dennis lab graduate student Colin coordinated this years Integrative Genetics and Genomics (IGG) program booth and counted with the support of volunteers including Dennis lab graduate students Aarthi, Dani and José. Attendees were able to learn about DNA, DNA modifications and fluorescent organisms. It was so much fun we hope to participate again next year.
This month our lab had the opportunity to do a one hour genetics hands-on workshop at Sacramento Charter High School. At least twenty high school students were able to learn about DNA, DNA isolation, and how we use zebrafish for neurogenetic studies. We had a lot of fun teaching the students how to isolate their own DNA and showing our transgenic zebrafish larvae.
Dennis lab graduate student Colin Shew coordinated a Genetic workshop for elementary school students that took place at Gretchen Higgins Elementary School today. The workshop focused on teaching the basic structure of the DNA and the isolation of DNA from a strawberry. This activity was a lot of fun and the students enjoyed the workshop so much they asked for additional science workshops from us. We are grateful for Deborah, the ASPIRE coordinator’s help and look forward to going back and teaching more awesome science! :) Volunteers for this event included Dennis lab members, José, Ellen and Alex.
Our lab conducted a two day hands-on workshop on genetics and neuroscience for ~120 freshman high school students at San Juan High School. This workshop was coordinated by graduate student Colin Shew and postdoc Alexandra Colón. On day 1 the students got to learn about PCR, restriction enzymes, gel electrophoresis to genotype a taste receptor. On day 2 students got to learn about the brain structure and function and how mutations can lead to alterations in its physiology and morphology, specifically in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Epilepsy. The final activity consisted of a sheep brain dissection that allowed students to become familiar with the different brain structures.
Our lab conducted a hands-on genetics workshop at Sacramento Charter High School designed by Dr. Megan Dennis and graduate student Aarthi Sekar. This workshop consisted of 1)brief description of our lab research focus and 2) a hands-on activity focused on in teaching the structure of DNA, performing a DNA extraction and teaching about its applications.
