Whodunit? A Murder Mystery for Teaching Biology
From Sherlock Holmes to modern-days sleuths, the tremendous explosion of interest in the science of forensics is all around us. Turn on the television and you will see popular shows like CSI: Crime...

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Population Genetics of Human Short Tandem Repeats
As forensic DNA lab topics have become popular in high schools, colleges and universities, offering a professional-level forensic DNA lab still faces technical and financial challenges. In this study ...

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Human Microsatellite DNA: Population Genetics and Forensic Application
As forensic DNA lab topics have become popular in high schools, colleges and universities, offering a professional- level forensic DNA lab still faces technical and financial challenges. In this study...

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Crime Investigation Laboratory Captivates Interest of Non-major Students
Many non-major biology students are fascinated with television crime dramas that utilize forensic analysis. To captivate students’ interest in forensic investigations, a “crime drama” laboratory modul...

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The Case of the Pilfered Plants: Biotechnology (and More) Using an Interactive CD-ROM
The primary goal of this mini-workshop was to give participants an opportunity to test an instructional module in biotechnology. The module, which can stand alone or be accompanied by hands-on laborat...

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DNA: From Lab to Courtroom
The laboratory exercise on DNA fingerprinting was specifically developed for inclusion in a two part laboratory sequence for nonscience majors. This exercise is placed in the lab sequence to correspon...

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DNA Profiling by Mutliplex PCR Amplification and Genotype Determination by Reverse Dot-Blot Hybridization to Sequence-Specific Oligonucleotide Probes
Human DNA profiling has applications in paternity testing and forensics. This exercise provides students the opportunity to gain first-hand experience with procedures that are currently used to extrac...

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Microsatellite DNA: Population Genetics and Forensic Applications
Microsatellite DNA has been used as standard genetic markers for human identification in forensic laboratories. This multi-week lab module uses professional lab techniques to cover concepts in molecul...

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Introducing Students to Conservation Genetics Using Sturgeon Caviar and Other Fish Eggs
In this laboratory exercise students will learn how to: (a) Isolate DNA from individual sturgeon and other fish eggs (available at any local deli that sells caviar) using the DNAzol method, (b) Set up...

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Use PCR and a Single Hair to Produce a "DNA Fingerprint"
As a former student once commented, "PCR is the sliced bread of molecular biology". Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a process that allows an investigator to amplify a portion of a single piece of D...

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