It’s essential for students majoring in the natural sciences to have access to technology that supports cutting-edge research—for example, equipment for fluorescence microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, and high-performance liquid chromatography. But for the many students fulfilling core requirements, sometimes less high-tech experiences yield a perfect “solution.”
Take Biology 3015 Principles of Genetics, taught by Valerie Schawaroch, PhD. One of Dr. Schawaroch’s tried-and-true labs for these students is DIY Strawberry DNA Extraction. In a matter of minutes, using simple household items—dish soap, rubbing alcohol, salt, cheesecloth, and a zipper-lock plastic baggie—students mash, mix, and strain to isolate and extract the fruit’s DNA. “The visual effect of watching bubbles emerge from a cloudy pink layer (strawberry mash) through an upper clear layer (alcohol) to form a clear floating jelly-like mass (DNA) is exciting and truly memorable,” she explains. “In addition, it is ironic to observe anything falling out of a solution by moving upward!”
Demystifying DNA is a bit of a passion for Dr. Schawaroch, whose research employs both molecular and morphological techniques to study the evolutionary history of fruit flies in the family Drosophilidae. She recently developed a jigsaw-like puzzle to help students comprehend the structure and rules of the DNA molecule. “To get that spark, it’s better to work with something physically and see it visually,” she says.
– Diane Harrigan