Modern Darwin-inspired experiments for schools
Darwin’s theories are still very relevant in modern science and have enormous implications in biomedical research today!
To illustrate this, we have adapted one of the hands-on Darwin-inspired activities and experiments for schools developed by the Wellcome Trust, as part of Darwin200.
If you are a teacher and would like to carry out this experiments with your class, please fill in the Registration form (Word and pdf). , so that we may send you the material that you will need, and hear back from you about your astonishing discoveries!
Please note that we can only send kits out to teachers in Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores).
If you are not in Portugal, we can still send you a detailed protocol of this experiment, so please
email us.
Resistance!
For 15-18 year olds
In this experiment, students will investigate how bacteria acquire resistance to antibiotics, through the process of conjugation – the transfer of DNA between cells.
The experiment involves two strains of the bacterium E. coli: the recipient strain, E. coli J-52R, carries on its chromosome the gene that confers resistance to the antibiotic rifampicin, and the donor strain E. coli HT-99, carries the plasmid that confers resistance to another antibiotic, cloramphenicol.
The two strains are mated (conjugated). Next, the three strains – donor, receptor and conjugated – are plated onto three different types of media: one containing rifampicin, the other cloramphenicol and a third containing both antibiotics. After incubation, students make their observations and interpret the results.
Students should observe that antibiotic resistance was transferred from one E. coli strain to another. They should interpret this
observation in terms of the evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria and public health implications of the spread of
antibiotic resistance.
What will we send you?
We will send you a kit containing the following:
- teachers' notes, which will include a detailed protocol and a template "lab book" for the experiment
- stocks of both E. Coli strains
- Petri dishes
We will be ready to dispatch the kits from 1st March. Please take this ito consideration when ordering your kit.
Registration form (Word
and pdf).
How long will the experiment take?
This experiment will require three lessons:
- Preparation and mating of strain cultures
- Streaking the plates with the cultures
- Examine and interpret the results
We would like to hear from you. If you wish, send us pictures and a copy of your ‘lab book’. We will post these
on our website, subject to your permission.
If you would like one of our scientists to visit your school, please email
us with the details, including a preferred date.
Registration form (Word and pdf).
We will be posting more Darwin-inspired experiments here soon!
