Somerville Students Simulate Crime Scene DNA Analysis on Mobile Laboratory
The BU Mobile lab taught Somerville High School students about DNA and exposed them to one of the Boston region's most important industries: Biotechnology
The exercise was meant to simulate something students might see on a "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"-type television show. In the scenario given to students, there was a crime, and a DNA sample was lifted from the crime scene. The students, mostly 9th and 10th graders, had a list of suspects, and they had to match those suspects' DNA with the DNA found at the scene. In doing so, they performed techniques called "restriction enzyme digest" to cut the DNA into fragments, and then "gel electrophoresis" to analyze the different sections of DNA. If that sounds a little complicated to you—as it does to me—here's something that that might be easier to swallow: It all happened on a retrofitted school bus called the Boston University Mobile Lab. …
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