Hands‑On Biotechnology Learning for Year 10 and Year 12 Students

This term, our Year 10 Science and Year 12 Biology students took part in the Amgen Biotech Experience (ABE), a practical program that introduces biotechnology skills in a school setting. What began as a set of lab sessions soon became a learning experience that encouraged curiosity, teamwork, and a stronger understanding of how biotechnology works.

In the Lab

Once students put on their lab coats and gloves, the focus in the room shifted. With support from their teachers and ABE materials supplied through The University of Sydney, they learned to:

• Work with genetic engineering by understanding its basic principles
• Extract and study DNA to see how genetic material is handled
• Use micropipettes and gel electrophoresis to separate DNA and three coloured molecules
• Transform bacteria by inserting a fluorescent gene from a sea anemone so the bacteria would glow

For many students, this was their first time using professional lab tools and equipment.