Team:UCSF/Human Practices

From 2009.igem.org

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Latest revision as of 01:48, 22 October 2009

Balancing Education and Regulation: Teaching Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology in High School

by Ethan Chan and Edna Miao

Abstract

Biotechnology is growing exponentially in popularity due to the great potential of new scientific innovations. Examples include alternative biofuels and lifesaving medical therapies. Biotechnology companies are emerging all over California, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a result, subjects like molecular biology have found their way into high school curricula. At Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco, students learn about biotech and its real-world applications in a unique, two-year advanced biotechnology class. A growing number of high schools are creating biotechnology courses. There is particularly strong interest among high schoolers for the cutting edge science of Synthetic Biology.

The explosion in biotechnology courses in high schools raises important questions about the regulation of biotechnology outside of universities and industry. While it is clearly important to train the future biotechnology workforce, there are concerns among governmental agencies and other groups that unregulated “Do-It-Yourself (DIY) biologists pose a risk to safety and security, especially given the increasing capabilities of Synthetic Biology. One such concern is whether DIY Bio and high school biotechnology courses could potentially release toxic chemical or biological waste into the environment. The safer alternative would be to work in a lab where qualifications must be met and guidelines must be followed. But back in the classroom, what kind of training should be required of teachers? What preparations must be made to ensure safety of the students? There is no definite answer for these questions because biotechnology is a new subject in schools and has yet to be regulated. That doesn’t mean there is no attention being paid to safety. Teachers and members of organizations such as the Bay Area Botechnology Education Consortium (BABEC) often meet to address these questions and to create a safe and ethical high school curriculum for the most beneficial learning experience.

Section 1 – Biotech classes in High School

Biotechnology is a booming industry. This relatively new field of science has already been responsible for the birth of many new medicines used today. In fact, many believe that biotechnology has the potential to solve many of our world’s major societal challenges. Biotechnology has already started to appear in high schools across the world. At San Francisco’s Abraham Lincoln High School, the reputation of biotech classes always brings about long waiting lists. Students feel that pursuing biotechnology will result in many different job opportunities. More importantly, having biotech in high schools allows students to gain the basic knowledge required to solve everyday problems. Exposure to molecular biology in high schools motivates students to become future leaders in the biotechnology industry.

Abraham Lincoln High School offers five first-year biotechnology classes and one second-year biotechnology class annually. Each class is able to hold thirty students. In the first-year’s biotech class, students are taught the fundamentals of using scientific instruments such as pipettes. This hands-on course teaches the same techniques that are used in today’s industry and academic labs. After a few weeks of detailed lectures, students are directed to their lab bench, where they learn how to generate plasmids/recombinant DNA and sequence DNA, along with several other techniques. These experiments are not as simple as following protocols, but actually encourage the students to think creatively. By the end of the first year, students will have the ability to transform bacteria, work with various enzymes, and run gel electrophoresis.

The second year biotech class expands on the knowledge taught in the first-year. Because of limited resources, only thirty students are chosen from the first-year pool to continue on with the studies. This second course is much more lab intensive. Whereas the majority of first year biotechnology was spent on theory and basic lab skills, second year biotechnology teaches students the applications, implications, and limitations of current biotechnology. Intense lectures accompanied by demos are followed by the labs themselves. The ability to perform each experiment is thoroughly tested by the teacher after every lesson. At the end of the year, students are able to perform techniques such as the Bradford assay, western blotting, sequencing DNA, running ELISAs and purifying proteins. Looking back, the skills that we acquired through second-year biotech played a tremendous role at our time with the iGEM team.

Skills like protein extraction and ELISA are not ones that can be taught by a teacher who isn’t properly trained. San Francisco has six high schools that offer biotechnology as a class, and Abraham Lincoln High School is fortunate to be one of them. San Mateo High School, located in the Bay Area, is the first to have a three-year program. They even have their own greenhouse! Until recently, biotech courses were virtually non-existent in high schools. With the increasing popularity of biotechnology in high school, there is an increasing need for (and a dearth of) qualified teachers. The interest in more schools having courses like biotech also brings about concerns. Although the benefits are obvious, the effect of having inexperienced teachers educating a class of students could prove to be problematic.

Section 2 – Biotech classes in HS Versus DIY BIO

A teacher interested in teaching biotechnology must have sufficient knowledge of the field of molecular biology. Most of the powerful tools explained in biotech courses expand from the foundations of molecular biology. This advanced subject takes years to master at the graduate level. Currently, the qualifications for new teachers wanting to teach a biotech course have not been established. Instead, the standards for teaching an advanced class such as biotech are the same as any other life science class. This brings up the concern that new teachers are not only undereducated in the content they are teaching, but will also be untrained in the importance of bioethics and safety issues. New companies such as DIY Bio add yet another complication into the mix. Without proper training, there is the potential to create a hazard. In today’s world, the dangers of labs in the garages of people’s homes are enough to alarm the FBI and CIA. Online forums are already available for those who want to do molecular biology at home. Some would doubt the possibility of doing anything dangerous because of the intensive amounts of equipment required. Surprisingly, some of these forums also include instructions on how to get or make your own equipment. With all of these resources easily available to the average person, the government is fully aware of the possibility of devious biohackers in everyday homes. A concern with DIY bio is that “organisms in the hands of amateurs could escape and cause outbreaks of incurable diseases or unpredictable environmental damage” (Jim Thomas of ETC group). Could the dangers of biosecurity also apply to the work being done in high schools? Questions like these are slowly emerging now that the field of biotechnology is increasingly accessible. High schools do have safety standards set by regulators. However, these standards are still perfunctory, and do not take into account the experience and qualifications of teachers. New standards and guidelines need to be developed that will address safety issues while still supporting innovation in the classroom.

How is the work being done at professional research labs any different from the work being done in high schools or in homes? In science labs at hospitals, universities, and medical schools, the standards are developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These labs usually require sophisticated monitoring equipment. Strict guidelines are put in place to ensure the safety of employees. The NIH has set guidelines from no eating in the lab to requiring certified storage cabinets and biohazard disposal containers. The NIH insists that lab conditions must be kept in a consistent manner. Any violation of these guidelines could result in hefty fines and/or the closure of a lab. Even as temporary employees of UCSF, each iGEM member had to go through a safety certification procedure before we were allowed to do any lab work. The online program consisted of reading about the disposal of dangerous chemicals, emergency procedures, and ‘the rules’ of working in a lab. Our understanding of each rule was assessed with a quiz. Each iGEM team member had to successfully pass the quizzes or any lab work was prohibited. At the classroom level, it is important for educators to have some freedom in creating innovative, new laboratories for students. George Cachianes, the biotechnology teacher at Abraham Lincoln High School, benefits from the current lack of restrictive standards. Having written his own curriculum, Cachianes ensures that his lessons and labs are safe in the high school environment. One of the his top priorities while creating his curriculum has been the safety of his students. As a former employee of the biotech company Genentech, and member of BABEC, Cachianes thinks that not everyone is qualified to pursue a teaching career in science, “Modern applications require new levels of training, not typically common in the requirements to teach high school biotechnology.”

Section 3 – The Future of Teachings of Biotech

This brings about the important question of how to regulate teaching biotech in schools. What should the school requirements be? The safety of the facilities, faculty, and students must be paramount. The safety of the general public outside the classroom must be observed as well. A teacher interested in teaching biotechnology must take into consideration safety and the teaching of bioethics. They need some extra training, and the qualifications for becoming a biotech teacher have not yet been defined. A life science bachelor’s degree is required. With the overwhelming demand for new high school science teachers, some fear that the standards of a bachelor’s degree in science will be lowered in order to make teaching a more accessible career. One option would be taking a very rigorous test that proves the prospective teacher is adequately prepared. Bioethics should certainly be required if teachers plan to teach biotechnology. Mr. Cachianes has often had students debate issues related to biotechnology. At the end of each year, he shows the film “Gattaca,” a powerful movie addressing many ethical issues that can potentially arise from the abuse of biotechnology.

In addition to learning the applications of biotechnology, students also need to understand the implications of this new technology. For example, there has been much debate in society about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). GMOs come with a long list of benefits and potential concerns, as do many other applications of biotechnology. Students therefore should be educated, and be able to exercise good judgment regarding ethical considerations. In order for that to happen, qualified teachers are needed. BABEC, an organization that includes local biotechnology teachers, meets monthly to address such concerns. People from industry are represented as well. Together, they develop high school biotechnology curricula. These meetings help pool resources by sharing materials and protocols. Furthermore, teachers who come to BABEC workshops learn about the ethical considerations and implications of each application they learn.

There is a concern that new regulations may stymie the ability of high school students to do research and experiments in classes. However, Mr. Cachianes feels that there will be exceptions for educators that allow them to continue to teach biotechnology. It will, however, be difficult to enforce new regulations on the public. The best way would be to restrict access to purchasing restriction endonucleases and other enzymes that must be purchased from specialty companies. Mr. Cachianes also feels that high schools will remain mostly unaffected, because the experiments performed are made to be safe. It will be possible to have the freedom of teaching a class without having to be burdened by challenging regulations in the future, because if the rules are reasonable then there shouldn’t be a problem. Today, there are already some rules in place. For example, students cannot do any experiments that involve the use of blood. These rules are reasonable, since blood is biohazardous. However, if rules get overly restrictive, Mr. Cachianes has said that they could preclude him from teaching high school students effectively. Hopefully, it will never come to that. Governmental agencies involved in regulating DIY Biology should make sure that the actions they take do not come at the expense of a thriving biotechnology educational system.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-=='''Abstract'''==
+=='''Balancing Education and Regulation:  Teaching Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology in High School'''==
+''by Ethan Chan and Edna Miao''
-Biotechnology is exponentially growing in popularity over the years due to the great potential of new scientific inventions like alternative biofuels and various lifesaving vaccines. Biotechnology companies are emerging all over the California coast especially the Bay Area. Surprisingly, within this field of science, another source is bustling for attention: High Schools. At Abraham Lincoln High School, students learn about biotech and its real-world applications in an exclusive two-year advanced biotechnology class. The credentials needed to teach a biotechnology course in high school has raised questions as the work is somewhat similar to that of DYI Bio. The issue is that both DYI Bio and high school biotechnology courses can be potentially dangerous as well as hazardous to the environment if an outbreak were to occur. The safer alternative would be to work in a lab where the qualifications must be met and guidelines must be followed.  But back in the classroom, what are the teacher’s qualifications? What preparations must be done to ensure safety of the students? There is no definite answer for these questions because biotechnology is a brand new subject in schools and has yet to be regulated. But that doesn’t mean there is no attention brought to it; teachers and members of the BABEC often meet to answer these questions and create a safe and ethical high school curriculum for the most beneficial learning experience.
+==='''Abstract'''===
+Biotechnology is growing exponentially in popularity due to the great potential of new scientific innovations.  Examples include alternative biofuels and lifesaving medical therapies. Biotechnology companies are emerging all over California, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area.  As a result, subjects like molecular biology have found their way into high school curricula.  At Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco, students learn about biotech and its real-world applications in a unique, two-year advanced biotechnology class. A growing number of high schools are creating biotechnology courses.  There is particularly strong interest among high schoolers for the cutting edge science of Synthetic Biology.
+The explosion in biotechnology courses in high schools raises important questions about the regulation of biotechnology outside of universities and industry.  While it is clearly important to train the future biotechnology workforce, there are concerns among governmental agencies and other groups that unregulated “Do-It-Yourself (DIY) biologists pose a risk to safety and security, especially given the increasing capabilities of Synthetic Biology.  One such concern is whether DIY Bio and high school biotechnology courses could potentially release toxic chemical or biological waste into the environment.  The safer alternative would be to work in a lab where qualifications must be met and guidelines must be followed.  But back in the classroom, what kind of training should be required of teachers?  What preparations must be made to ensure safety of the students? There is no definite answer for these questions because biotechnology is a new subject in schools and has yet to be regulated.  That doesn’t mean there is no attention being paid to safety.  Teachers and members of organizations such as the Bay Area Botechnology Education Consortium (BABEC) often meet to address these questions and to create a safe and ethical high school curriculum for the most beneficial learning experience.
 =='''Section 1 – Biotech classes in High School'''==
-The world of biotechnology has never been as big as it is now. This fairly new field has already been responsible for the birth of biofuels and many vital vaccines used today. In fact, many believe that biotechnology has the potential to solve many of our everyday challenges. With the promises it is expected to bring, biotech has already started to appear in high schools across the world. At San Francisco’s Abraham Lincoln High School, the hype for this new course always brings about long waiting lists. Students feel that pursuing biotechnology or biotech will result in an influx of different job opportunities. More importantly, having biotech in high schools allow students to gain the baseline knowledge required to solve everyday problems, and learning the material early on allows students to become future leaders in the biotechnology industry.
+Biotechnology is a booming industry.  This relatively new field of science has already been responsible for the birth of many new medicines used today.  In fact, many believe that biotechnology has the potential to solve many of our world’s major societal challenges.  Biotechnology has already started to appear in high schools across the world. At San Francisco’s Abraham Lincoln High School, the reputation of biotech classes always brings about long waiting lists.  Students feel that pursuing biotechnology will result in many different job opportunities.  More importantly, having biotech in high schools allows students to gain the basic knowledge required to solve everyday problems. Exposure to molecular biology in high schools  motivates students to become future leaders in the biotechnology industry.
-Abraham Lincoln High School offers five first-year biotechnology classes and one second-year biotechnology class. Each class is able to hold around thirty students. In first-year biotech, students are taught the fundamentals of using scientific instruments like micropipettes. The hands-on course teaches the very same techniques that are used in today’s industry and academic labs. After a few weeks of detailed lectures, students are directed to their lab bench, and learn how to make plasmids, recombinant DNA, and more. These experiments are not as simple as following protocols, but actually encourage the students to think outside the box. By the end of the first year, students will have the ability to do transformations, work with enzymes and run gel electrophoresis.
+Abraham Lincoln High School offers five first-year biotechnology classes and one second-year biotechnology class annually.  Each class is able to hold thirty students. In the first-year’s biotech class, students are taught the fundamentals of using scientific instruments such as pipettes.  This hands-on course teaches the same techniques that are used in today’s industry and academic labs.  After a few weeks of detailed lectures, students are directed to their lab bench, where they learn how to generate plasmids/recombinant DNA and sequence DNA, along with several other techniques.  These experiments are not as simple as following protocols, but actually encourage the students to think creatively.  By the end of the first year, students will have the ability to transform bacteria, work with various enzymes, and run gel electrophoresis.
-Second year biotech expands on the knowledge taught in first-year. Because of limited resources, thirty students are chosen from the first-year pool to continue on with the studies. This second course is much more lab intensive. Whereas the majority of first year biotechnology was spent on theory and basic lab skills, second year biotechnology teaches students the applications of first year biotechnology. Intense lectures accompanied by demos are followed by the labs themselves. The ability to perform each experiment is thoroughly tested by the teacher after every lesson. At the end of the year, students will be able to perform techniques such as the Bradford assay, western blotting, and protein purifications. Looking back, the skills that we acquired through second-year biotech played a tremendous role at our time with the iGEM team.
+The second year biotech class expands on the knowledge taught in the first-year. Because of limited resources, only thirty students are chosen from the first-year pool to continue on with the studies.  This second course is much more lab intensive.  Whereas the majority of first year biotechnology was spent on theory and basic lab skills, second year biotechnology teaches students the applications, implications, and limitations of current biotechnology.  Intense lectures accompanied by demos are followed by the labs themselves.  The ability to perform each experiment is thoroughly tested by the teacher after every lesson.  At the end of the year, students are able to perform techniques such as the Bradford assay, western blotting, sequencing DNA, running ELISAs and purifying proteins.  Looking back, the skills that we acquired through second-year biotech played a tremendous role at our time with the iGEM team.
-Skills like protein extraction and ELISA are not ones that can be taught by a under qualified teacher. San Francisco has three high schools that offer biotechnology as a class, and Abraham Lincoln High School is fortunate to be one of them. San Mateo High School, located in the Bay Area, is the first to have a three-year program; they even have their own greenhouse! Few years prior, biotech courses were practically non-existent. With the popularity of biotech quickly entering the high school doors, more inexperienced teachers are thinking about teaching biotech. The interest of more schools having courses like biotech also brings about concerns. Although the benefits are obvious, the effect of having inexperienced teachers educating a class of students could prove to be risky.
+Skills like protein extraction and ELISA are not ones that can be taught by  a teacher who isn’t properly trained.  San Francisco has six high schools that offer biotechnology as a class, and Abraham Lincoln High School is fortunate to be one of them.  San Mateo High School, located in the Bay Area, is the first to have a three-year program.  They even have their own greenhouse!  Until recently, biotech courses were virtually non-existent in high schools.  With the increasing popularity of biotechnology in high school, there is an increasing need for (and a dearth of) qualified teachers. The interest in more schools having courses like biotech also brings about concerns.  Although the benefits are obvious, the effect of having inexperienced teachers educating a class of students could prove to be problematic.
 =='''Section 2 – Biotech classes in HS Versus DIY BIO'''==
-A teacher interested in teaching biotechnology must also have sufficient knowledge in the field of molecular biology. Most of the powerful tools explained in biotech courses expand from the foundations of molecular biology. This complex subject takes years to master even at the graduate level. Currently, the qualifications for new teachers wanting to teach a biotech course are not specifically designed for the course. Instead, the standards for teaching an advance class like biotech are much like any other science class. This brings up the concern that upcoming teachers are not only undereducated in the content they are teaching, but will also avoid the importance of bioethics. While these lessons might sound repetitive, potential dangers can occur if the educator does not stress the importance of it.
+A teacher interested in teaching biotechnology must have sufficient knowledge of the field of molecular biology.  Most of the powerful tools explained in biotech courses expand from the foundations of molecular biology.  This advanced subject takes years to master at the graduate level.  Currently, the qualifications for new teachers wanting to teach a biotech course have not been established.  Instead, the standards for teaching an advanced class such as biotech are the same as any other life science class.  This brings up the concern that new teachers are not only undereducated in the content they are teaching, but will also be untrained in the importance of bioethics and safety issues.  New companies such as DIY Bio add yet another complication into the mix.  Without proper training, there is the potential to create a hazard.  In today’s world, the dangers of labs in the garages of people’s homes are enough to alarm the FBI and CIA.  Online forums are already available for those who want to do molecular biology at home.  Some would doubt the possibility of doing anything dangerous because of the intensive amounts of equipment required.  Surprisingly, some of these forums also include instructions on how to get or make your own equipment.  With all of these resources easily available to the average person, the government is fully aware of the possibility of  devious biohackers  in everyday homes.  A concern with DIY bio is that “organisms in the hands of amateurs could escape and cause outbreaks of incurable diseases or unpredictable environmental damage” (Jim Thomas of ETC group).  Could the dangers of biosecurity also apply to the work being done in high schools?  Questions like these are slowly emerging now that the field of biotechnology is increasingly accessible.  High schools do have safety standards set by regulators.  However, these standards are still perfunctory, and do not take into account the experience and qualifications of teachers.  New standards and guidelines need to be developed that will address safety issues while still supporting innovation in the classroom.
-The knowledge given at current high school courses is similar to the work of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Bio. Although biotech courses are not meant to be dangerous, the basics taught is enough to create a potential hazard. In today’s world, the dangers of hidden labs in the garages of people’s homes are enough to alarm the FBI and CIA. Online forums are already available for those who want to do biology at home. Some would doubt the possibility of doing dangerous labs because of all the equipment required. But surprisingly, some of these forums also include instructions on how to make your own equipment. With all these resources easily available to the average person, the FBI is fully aware of the possibility of biohackers lurking in everyday homes. The concerns with DIY bio is that “organisms in the hands of amateurs could escape and cause outbreaks of incurable diseases or unpredictable environmental damage(Jim Thomas of ETC group).” Could the dangers of biosecurity also apply to the work being done in high schools? Questions like these are slowly coming up now that the field of biotechnology has expanded. Yes, the work being done at the high school level could be considered DIY bio, but they also have standards set by inspectors. However, these standards are still very brief, and with the possibility of inexperienced and under-qualified teachers quickly emerging, these standards deserve to be looked at once again.
+How is the work being done at professional research labs any different from the work being done in high schools or in homes?  In science labs at hospitals, universities, and medical schools, the standards are developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  These labs usually require sophisticated monitoring equipment.  Strict guidelines are put in place to ensure the safety of employees.  The NIH has set guidelines from no eating in the lab to requiring certified storage cabinets and biohazard disposal containers.  The NIH insists that lab conditions must be kept in a consistent manner.  Any violation of these guidelines could result in hefty fines and/or the closure of a lab.  Even as temporary employees of UCSF, each iGEM member had to go through a safety certification procedure before we were allowed to do any lab work.  The online program consisted of reading about the disposal of dangerous chemicals, emergency procedures, and ‘the rules’ of working in a lab.  Our understanding of each rule was assessed with a quiz.  Each iGEM team member had to successfully pass the quizzes or any lab work was prohibited.  At the classroom level, it is important for educators to have some freedom in creating innovative, new laboratories for students.  George Cachianes, the biotechnology teacher at Abraham Lincoln High School, benefits from the current lack of restrictive standards.  Having written his own curriculum, Cachianes ensures that his lessons and labs are safe in the high school environment. One of the his top priorities while creating his curriculum has been the safety of his students.  As a former employee of the biotech company Genentech, and member of BABEC, Cachianes thinks that not everyone is qualified to pursue a teaching career in science, “Modern applications require new levels of training, not typically common in the requirements to teach high school biotechnology.”
-How is the work being done at research labs any different from the ones done at high schools or in public homes? At the high level of science labs at hospitals, universities, and medical schools, the standards are developed by the National Institute of Health (NIH). These labs usually carry a lot of sophisticated equipment, and strict guidelines are put in place to ensure the safety of the employees. NIH has set guidelines from no eating in the lab to allowing only certified storing cabinets to be used. NIH feels that lab conditions must be kept in a consistent matter. Any violations to the guidelines could result in hefty fines and/or the closure of the lab. Even as temporary employees, each iGEM member had to go through a safety certification procedure before we were allowed to do any lab work. The online program consisted of reading about the disposal of dangerous chemicals, emergency procedures, and ‘the rules’ of working in a lab; each reading was wrapped up with a quiz.  Each member had to successfully pass the quiz or else any related lab work was prohibited. At the classroom level, it is important for the educator to have some sort of freedom in teaching the class. George Cachianes (biotech teacher) of Abraham Lincoln High School admit that the lack of strict guidelines is one of the best things about being a teacher. Having written his own curriculum, Cachianes ensures that his lessons and labs are safe in a high school environment. One of the top priorities while making his curriculum is the safety of the students. Not having to worry about standards allows him to focus more on a certain topic, rather than being time pressured to move onto another lesson. As a former employee of the biotech giant Genentech, and member of the Bay Area Biotechnology Education Consortium(BABEC), Cachianes admits that not everyone is qualified to pursue a teaching career in science, “But if you haven’t had college and graduate school, you’re not trained to control that kind of environment. My concern is when a teacher only has a bachelor’s degree, they may know how to do it, but they don’t understand how to.”
 =='''Section 3 – The Future of Teachings of Biotech'''==
-This brings about the important questions of how to regulate teaching biotech in schools. What should the school requirements be? The safety of the facilities, faculty, and students must be observed at all times, and the safety of the general public outside the classroom must be observed as well. A teacher interested in teaching biotechnology must take into consideration safety bioethics. They need to be certified, and the qualifications of becoming a biotech teacher have not yet been defined. However, a science related bachelor’s degree is required. Some fear that the standards of a bachelor’s degree in science will be lowered in order to make teaching a more attractive career. Another option would be taking a very rigorous test that proves the prospective teacher is from industry. Bioethics is a must if teachers plan to teach, and Mr.Cachianes used to have debate projects at the end of each year, so students could go into more detail on the ethical sides of biotech. Now he shows Gattaca, a powerful movie discussing many ethical issues that can potentially arise from biotech.
+This brings about the important question of how to regulate teaching biotech in schools.  What should the school requirements be?  The safety of the facilities, faculty, and students must be paramount.  The safety of the general public outside the classroom must be observed as well.  A teacher interested in teaching biotechnology must take into consideration safety and the teaching of bioethics.  They need some extra training, and the qualifications for becoming a biotech teacher have not yet been defined.  A life science bachelor’s degree is required.  With the overwhelming demand for new high school science teachers, some fear that the standards of a bachelor’s degree in science will be lowered in order to make teaching a more accessible career.  One option would be taking a very rigorous test that proves the prospective teacher is adequately prepared.  Bioethics should certainly be required if teachers plan to teach biotechnology.  Mr. Cachianes has often had students debate issues related to biotechnology.  At the end of each year, he shows the film “Gattaca,” a powerful movie addressing many ethical issues that can potentially arise from the abuse of  biotechnology.
-Aside from basic lab skills such as gel electrophoresis, students should also be learning and discussing the perils and benefits of Biotech. For example, there has been much debate about Genetically Modified Organisms or GMOs. GMOs come with a long list of both benefits and disadvantages, and much of biotech comes with a list of pros and cons. Students therefore should be educated, and be able to exercise good judgment on what they think is right. In order for that to happen, they need qualified teachers. Teachers from the bay area meet once every other month and are in an organization Bay Area Biotechnology Education Consortium or BABEC. People from industry are present as well, and together, they develop a high school curriculum. These meetings help pull resources by sharing materials and protocols. Furthermore, teachers tome to the workshops offered at BABEC to learn the techniques they will teach their students. The issue of ethics is covered at these meetings as well.
+In addition to learning the applications of biotechnology, students also need to understand the implications of this new technology.  For example, there has been much debate in society about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). GMOs come with a long list of benefits and potential concerns, as do many other applications of biotechnology.  Students therefore should be educated, and be able to exercise good judgment regarding ethical considerations.  In order for that to happen, qualified teachers are needed.  BABEC, an organization that includes local biotechnology teachers, meets monthly to address such concerns.  People from industry are represented as well.  Together, they develop high school biotechnology curricula.  These meetings help pool resources by sharing materials and protocols.  Furthermore, teachers who come to BABEC workshops learn about the ethical considerations and implications of each application they learn.
-Some fear that the FBI will create rules and regulations that will limit the ability of high schoolers to do research and experiments in classes. However, Mr.Cachianes feels that the FBI will not try to enforce rules that will apply regular citizens, because it will be too difficult to monitor. However, if it was to come down to that, they should try to enforce it at the purchasing level. For example, make buying things like enzymes more difficult by having a legitimate license. Mr.Cachianes also feels that high schools will remain mostly unaffected, because the experiments performed are made to be safe. It will be possible to have the freedom of teaching a class without having to follow rules in the future, because if the rules are reasonable then there shouldn’t be a problem. Today, there are already some rules in place, like students cannot do any experiments that involve their blood. These rules are reasonable, because things like blood are a biohazard. However, if rules get out of hand, Mr.Cachianes has said that he will not be afraid to quit teaching. Hopefully, it will never come down to that.
+There is a concern that new regulations may stymie the ability of high school students to do research and experiments in classes.  However, Mr. Cachianes feels that there will be exceptions for educators that allow them to continue to teach biotechnology.  It will, however, be difficult to enforce new regulations on the public.  The best way would be to restrict access to purchasing restriction endonucleases and other enzymes that must be purchased from specialty companies.  Mr. Cachianes also feels that high schools will remain mostly unaffected, because the experiments performed are made to be safe.  It will be possible to have the freedom of teaching a class without having to be burdened by challenging regulations in the future, because if the rules are reasonable then there shouldn’t be a problem.  Today, there are already some rules in place.  For example, students cannot do any experiments that involve the use of blood.  These rules are reasonable, since blood is biohazardous.  However, if rules get overly restrictive, Mr. Cachianes has said that they could preclude him from teaching high school students effectively.  Hopefully, it will never come to that.  Governmental agencies involved in regulating DIY Biology should make sure that the actions they take do not come at the expense of a thriving biotechnology educational system.
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+!align="center"|[[Team:UCSF/Project|The Project]]
+!align="center"|[[Team:UCSF/Parts|Parts Submitted to the Registry]]
+!align="center"|[[Team:UCSF/Our summer experience|Our summer experience]]
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