The HaloEd ProjectA web site dedicated to biotechnology education |
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INTRODUCTION
In the 21st century, it is becoming increasingly important for students to be aware of and understand basic biotechnological and microbiological concepts. As always, these scientific concepts are most effectively conveyed through hands-on laboratory experiences. However, laboratory exercises are challenging because of the potential risk of student exposure to harmful microbes and chemicals, challenges in maintaining sterility of cultures, cost of scientific materials, and length of time required for preparation and laboratory experiments. Because of the urgent need to improve and expand the biotechnology and microbiology component of curricula using novel, safe, and effective approaches, we have developed this web site. As the centerpiece of this project, we have utilized the halophilic microbe, Halobacterium species NRC-1, which has been extensively studied in our laboratory for the last 20 years, as an ideal teaching vehicle. Because of the nearly saturating concentration of salts in its growth medium, the medium represents a safer alternative for teaching. Yet this microbe is easy to culture, grows well at standard temperatures, and is widely distributed in nature. Also importantly, this organism is genetically tractable, its genome has been completely sequenced, and the certified strain is available from sources such as the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC 700922). As a companion to this website, we are currently developing a comprehensive set of laboratory exercises using Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 as the model organism for teaching a wide range of subjects, including concepts such as exponential growth, colony formation, mutation, antibiotic resistance, motility, flotation, DNA function, transformation, complementation, biotechnology, genomics, and bioinformatics. Our
approach has been shown to be effective in various educational settings,
including colleges, high schools (we have developed several co-teaching
possibilities for teachers to explore) and teacher training workshops. Our
plans were formally presented in May 2003 at the American Society of
Microbiology 103rd General meeting in |
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