Uniting Young Generations with Science through the 6th Genetic Engineering School Events Led by UNAM’s Dr. Urartu Şeker

With the vision of Bilkent University National Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM) to create high quality and novel knowledge and train qualified human resources, Dr. Urartu Şeker provided the opportunity for high school students to delve into the realms of genetic engineering and synthetic biology at the Genetic Engineering School, for the sixth time.

A group of 23 students partook in a comprehensive program at UNAM from July 8-11, 2024, delving into the realms of genetic engineering and biotechnology. Throughout these four days, they not only received extensive training in these subjects but also actively engaged in hands-on experiments. Throughout the program, students gained knowledge on topics such as DNA replication, ancient DNA research, protein analysis, and synthetic biology. They also had the opportunity to learn advanced laboratory techniques, including Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and SDS gel electrophoresis, through hands-on experiments. Additionally, they gained detailed insights into the latest developments and applications in biotechnology and developed skills in reading and interpreting scientific articles.

Program:

July 8, 2024 – Monday

10:00-10:30: Introduction and Opening Remarks
10:30-11:30: Lecture 1.1: Fundamentals of Evolution and Biotechnology Research
11:30-12:00: Lecture 1.2: Basic Bioinformatics Methods (Introduction to Bioinformatics Databases)
12:00-13:00: Lunch Break
13:00-13:30: Lecture 1.3: Life Molecules DNA/RNA and Genetic Code
13:30-14:30: Experiment 1: Amplifying and Copying DNA: Polymerase Chain Reaction
14:30-15:00: Lecture 1.4: Benchling Overview
15:00-16:00: Experiment 2: Visualization of PCR-Amplified DNA in Agarose Gel, Wrap-Up

July 9, 2024 – Tuesday

10:00-10:30: Lecture 2.1: Examining Biological Records of the Past: Ancient DNA Research
10:30-11:00: Lecture 2.2: Cell Structure and Function
11:00-12:00: Lecture 2.3: Heredity and Genetic Information Transfer
12:00-13:00: Lunch Break
13:00-15:00: Experiment 3: Gene Transfer to Bacteria
15:30-16:00: Day Review, Wrap-Up

July 10, 2024 – Wednesday

10:00-10:30: Lecture 3.1: Life Engineering: Synthetic Biology
10:30-11:30: Evaluation of Gene Transfer Results
11:30-12:00: Experiment 4: Casting SDS Gel for Protein Analysis
12:00-13:00: Lunch Break
13:00-14:00: Experiment 5: Loading Protein Samples onto SDS Gel
14:00-15:00: Lecture 3.2: How Proteins Fold and What They Look Like: Working with Alphafold
15:00-16:00: Experiment 6: Visualization of Protein Samples in SDS Gel

July 11, 2024 – Thursday

10:00-10:30: How to Read a Scientific Article
10:30-11:00: Lecture 4.1: The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology
11:00-12:00: Experiment 7: Production of Fluorescent Proteins in a Cell-Free System
12:00-13:00: Lunch Break
13:00-15:00: Lecture 4.2: How Biological Knowledge is Used in Technology Development: Biotechnology
15:00-16:00: Day Review, Wrap-Up