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Nanodrop Spectrophotometer for Biotech Class
I teach a course in biotechnology to a group of inspiring young people in an urban high school in Massachusetts. Many of my students are children of recent immigrants to our country, and they work hard to fulfill their dreams. Most come from families with very limited means. One thing I have learned teaching here is that every one of my students has the potential to become a great scientist, a caring doctor, a motivating leader, or an inspiring artist. They have the same potential as students in our wealthier suburban districts. What holds them back are resources.
In my biotech class, students are engaged in advanced biotechnology topics using modern laboratory protocols. They perform restriction digests and ligations, bacterial transformation with plasmids, column chromatography, PCR and sequencing of their own mitochondrial DNA, testing of GMO foods, and many other labs and activities. They become experts at pipetting, running gels and PCR. They are exposed to science and lab skills that most students will not have access to until college.
We were very fortunate to receive a Mass Life Sciences Center grant a couple of years ago that enabled us to outfit the lab. I also receive generous support from many organizations in the Boston/Cambridge area, with equipment, supplies and professional development.
The one piece of equipment we could really use to fill out our lab is a Nanodrop spectrophotometer for analyzing DNA concentration and quality in our samples. Currently we have no way to quantify our DNA isolation and prufication procedures. We are flying blind when it comes to PCR and DNA sequencing. A Nanodrop cost several thousand dollars new and we just don’t have the funds. I am looking for a used one, but a new low-end model sufficient for our use costs $5200. If I am unable to reach this goal, my lab can use whatever we raise for other equipment and supplies.
A Nanodrop spectrophotometer would really open new doors of exploration for my students. We would put it to immediate use once the box is opened! Thank you!
I teach a course in biotechnology to a group of inspiring young people in an urban high school in Massachusetts. Many of my students are children of recent immigrants to our country, and they work hard to fulfill their dreams. Most come from families with very limited means. One thing I have learned teaching here is that every one of my students has the potential to become a great scientist, a caring doctor, a motivating leader, or an inspiring artist. They have the same potential as students in our wealthier suburban districts. What holds them back are resources.
In my biotech class, students are engaged in advanced biotechnology topics using modern laboratory protocols. They perform restriction digests and ligations, bacterial transformation with plasmids, column chromatography, PCR and sequencing of their own mitochondrial DNA, testing of GMO foods, and many other labs and activities. They become experts at pipetting, running gels and PCR. They are exposed to science and lab skills that most students will not have access to until college.
We were very fortunate to receive a Mass Life Sciences Center grant a couple of years ago that enabled us to outfit the lab. I also receive generous support from many organizations in the Boston/Cambridge area, with equipment, supplies and professional development.
The one piece of equipment we could really use to fill out our lab is a Nanodrop spectrophotometer for analyzing DNA concentration and quality in our samples. Currently we have no way to quantify our DNA isolation and prufication procedures. We are flying blind when it comes to PCR and DNA sequencing. A Nanodrop cost several thousand dollars new and we just don’t have the funds. I am looking for a used one, but a new low-end model sufficient for our use costs $5200. If I am unable to reach this goal, my lab can use whatever we raise for other equipment and supplies.
A Nanodrop spectrophotometer would really open new doors of exploration for my students. We would put it to immediate use once the box is opened! Thank you!
Organizer
Don Pinkerton
Organizer
Swampscott, MA
