On Friday, April 24, a group of 12 Biology University Prep students from James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic High School, accompanied by their teacher Ms. Brancatella, participated in the nextGEN Outreach Science Workshop organized by the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto.
The day began in a University of Toronto lecture hall as students listened to a lecture by Dr. Martina Steiner, assistant professor in the department. She introduced the science of DNA testing and focused on sickle cell anemia, laying the groundwork for students to understand how genetics connects to real-world health challenges.
JCM students then suited up in safety equipment and lab coats, practiced pipetting with food dye, and simulated DNA genotyping, many for the first time in a university lab. This valuable experience connected the Grade 12 biology curriculum to real-life research in a university setting. Students needed to use their scientific knowledge and literacy skills to understand the case study, use newly learned genetic information, and apply it in the lab with real researchers. Seeing as how JCM does not have the same lab equipment as the university, this activity allowed them to apply their knowledge building practical skills and see that opportunities in science can be within reach.
