Activity (Hands-On)Grades 10 - 12
Engineering an Electrophoresis Gel Box
Students are micropipetting dyes into wells.Copyright William McDonald, 2023
Students build a functional electrophoresis gel and run samples of food coloring through the gel. As they learn how to build a functioning gel, they get a better understanding of the physics of the gel box and what the results can say about DNA and proteins.
Gel electrophoresis is a tool used in molecular biology and genetic engineering. In this activity, students create their own gel electrophoresis boxes to simulate the science that is used to solve crimes, identify genetic diseases, and determine DNA relatives.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Design and engineer an electrophoresis gel and box by using provided materials.
- Practice/develop micro pipetting skills/techniques by loading samples into the wells of the gel.
- Analyze results of the electrophoresis gel by comparing/contrasting the samples.
- Connect the process to current applications in specific fields where the process may be used.