A hands-on workshop working with scientists and exploring genome editing. This workshop gives a real insight and practical hands-on experience on what life in the lab is like here at The Roslin Institute. Students will be introduced to the current, cutting-edge research of Dr Christine Tait-Burkard and her team who have used genome editing technology to engineer pigs that are genetically resistant to an infectious disease called porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). Learning Level: Upper Secondary (16+)*Location: Easter Bush Science Outreach Centre, University of Edinburgh Easter Bush Campus, EH25 9RGMinimum attendance: 16**Maximum attendance: 30Duration: 3 hoursTimes: 10am - 1pm Cost: £15 per pupil (international students)Thank you for your interest in this workshop, this academic year we will not be offering this workshop as part of our learning programme. To remain updated about our workshops, events and exciting opportunities please sign up to our mailing list and/or follow us on Twitter @EBSOClab. In the meantime, why not check out our classroom resources that are free to download!Workshop DescriptionStudents will be introduced to the current, cutting-edge research of Dr Christine Tait-Burkard and her team who have used genome-editing technology to engineer pigs that are genetically resistant to an infectious disease called porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). The workshop will reveal how they use molecular biology techniques to genotype engineered pigs. Learning ObjectivesTo understand how scientific research is used to solve global animal health and welfare problemsTo develop scientific thinking and critical analysis skillsTo understand how gene editing works and can be used in the labTo understand that we can identify genotypes using DNA profilingTo interpret and discuss experimental resultsTo reveal the world of work in scientific researchTechniques UsedMicro-pipettingCentrifugationDNA gel electrophoresisWorkshop outlineIntroduction to genome editingIntroduction to micropipettesPreparation of DNA for fragment analysisDNA electrophoresis using agarose gelsAnalysis and interpretation of resultsEthical discussion about use of genome edited animals in farming AvailabilityThank you for your interest in this workshop, this academic year we will not be offering this workshop as part of our learning programme. Why not check out classroom resources that are free to download! Important Notes* The participants need to be confident with the following terms: alleles, homozygous, heterozygous, mutation, transcription, translation, gel electrophoresis, recessive, dominant.** Please contact us ebsoc@ed.ac.uk if your group falls below the minimum as we may be able to accommodate your request through our small groups waiting list. Downloadable Resources Risk Assessment Document Insight into Roslin Research- Which Little Piggy? Risk Assessment (825.13 KB / PDF) Workshop Description Document Which Little Piggy? International Workshop Description (768.54 KB / PDF) Read more about the science behind the workshopPrecision engineering for PRRSV resistance in pigs: Macrophages from genome edited pigs lacking CD163 SRCR5 domain are fully resistant to both PRRSV genotypes while maintaining biological function Burkard, C, Lillico, S, Reid, E, Jackson, B, Mileham, AJ, Ait-Ali, T, Whitelaw, C & Archibald, A 2017 Genome Editing for Disease Resistance in Livestock Proudfoot, C & Tait-Burkard, C 2017Testimonials Allowed me to use industry equipment not available on my course, as well as seeing real labs. International Secondary Pupil It was very informal therefore learners felt at ease and were comfortable answering and asking questions. The questions asked were thought provoking and enabled learners to apply their previous knowledge. International Secondary Teacher This article was published on 2024-09-02