Genetics, Genomics, and Biotechnology Education

The last decade has brought the fields of genetics, genomics, and biotechnology into the public eye through the pages of our newspapers and on our TV screens. Genetics and biotechnology are already widely used to produce agricultural products and medicines and reduce, or even eliminate, environmental pollutants. As the genetic basis of many human diseases is revealed, the use of genomics and biotechnology for diagnosis and treatment is becoming more personal and relevant. Thus, these fields are ripe targets for pre-college and public education. We are interested in developing and providing tools to help the general public better understand genetics so that they can make informed decisions as voters, consumers, and healthcare users. Partnership with K-12 schools provides the perfect avenue for enhancing public awareness and understanding of these fields. Understanding the molecular basis of heredity and biological evolution is a national science education standard, the minimum expectation for a graduating high school student. The process of scientific inquiry and the nature of science are also national standards. Finally, pre-college teachers have a wealth of expertise and experience in communicating abstract scientific concepts to a variety of learners.

Our interest is in partnering with high school and college educators to design programs and learning experiences that help students develop a deeper understanding of the applications and implications of biotechnology and the process of scientific inquiry. In particular, we are interested in investigating and documenting the development, progress, and impacts of biology education efforts on the teaching and learning of concepts in biotechnology, genetics, and genomics, as well as scientific inquiry and the nature of science. The primary venue for our research is the Fralin Biotechnology Center's well-developed pre-college education, outreach, and partnership program [www.biotech.vt.edu].

In addition, there has been very little systematic study of university-based K-12 genetics education programs, although a good number exist across the country. One of the strong predictors of their success, assuming endurance is an indicator of success, is the participation of a strong resource professional, in many cases a scientist, who generates ideas, works well with children, prepares activities in advance, gathers resources, provides content knowledge, and is enthusiastic. We are interested in identifying additional factors that contribute to the success of student-teacher-scientist partnerships.


Current Research

Our exemplary partnership program, the Partnership for Research and Education in Plants (PREP), brings together biology teachers, their students, and research scientists to guide students as they design and conduct experiments to study Arabidopsis thaliana, plants used widely in genetic research and one of the few plants whose genome has been sequenced. Students examine previously uncharacterized Arabidopsis plants and share their findings with scientists interested in studying those plants. Students learn standards-based content about plant biology and genetics, as well as standards-based skills related to biotechnology and scientific inquiry. We are interested in what students learn about scientific inquiry, the nature of science, and biological concepts as a result of participating in PREP. We are also interested in investigating the impacts of this partnership on all participants, students, teachers, and scientists.

Another focus of study is the Virginia Tech Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics K-12 Education and Outreach Initiative, or VT STEM. VT STEM is an umbrella organization of Virginia Tech programs and personnel committed to K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. VT STEM builds networks within the university and across K-12 communities to improve scientific and technological literacy of Virginia’s students. K-12 schools and universities are collaborating more and more, especially given the mandate from federal agencies that grantees broaden the impact of their research. We are interested in how these collaborations develop and what predicts their success. In addition, VT STEM is an umbrella organization of these collaborations. We are interested in how and why umbrella organizations have developed, how are they structured, and what are predictors of their success.


Education Publications:

1. Dolan EL, P Lemaux, B Soots, SY Rhee, L Reiser. 2004 Strategies for Avoiding Reinventing the Precollege Education and Outreach Wheel. Genetics 166: 1601-1609.

2. Dolan EL. 2004 Sustaining Biotechnology Education: Challenges and Strategies. Paper for Conference on K-12 Outreach from University Science Departments, Raleigh, NC.

3. Dolan EL. 2003 Partnership for Research & Education in Plants: A teacher-student-scientist collaboration. Paper for Conference on K-12 Outreach from University Science Departments, Raleigh, NC.


Science Publications:

1. DM Tobin, DM Madsen, A Kahn-Kirby, EL Peckol, G Moulder, R Barstead, AV Maricq, CI Bargmann. 2002 Interacting TRPV genes mediate nociception and chemosensation in C. elegans. Neuron 35: 307-318.

2. Peckol EL, E Troemel, CI Bargmann. 2001 Sensory experience and sensory activity regulate chemosensory receptor gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans. PNAS 98:11032-8.

3. Zallen JA, EL Peckol, DM Tobin, CI Bargmann. 2000 Neuronal cell shape and neuritogenesis are regulated by the Ndr kinase SAX-1, a member of the Orb6/COT-1/Warts serine/threonine kinase family. Molec Cell Biol 11:3177-3190.

4. Peckol EL, JA Zallen, JC Yarrow, CI Bargmann. 1999 Sensory activity affects the development of sensory axons in C. elegans. Development 126:1891-1902.

5. Maricq AV, E Peckol, M Driscoll, CI Bargmann. 1995 Mechanosensory signalling in C. elegans mediated by the GLR-1 glutamate receptor. Nature 378:78-81.