Hands-on DNA: Exploring Evolution

15 organisations have been selected to be key national partners in the new UK-wide Hands-on DNA: Exploring Evolution project.

The Hands-on DNA project is enabling students across the UK to use cutting edge equipment and the latest molecular techniques to explore evolution and their own DNA.

The project is a collaboration between ASDC and three partner centres, At-Bristol, Nowgen in Manchester and the Centre for Life in Newcastle, and is supported by the Wellcome Trust.

Selected organisations have been given training and equipment to enable them to deliver either the 'A Question of Taste' PCR workshop, or for those organisations with less experience of molecular biology, a simpler two hour DNA workshop about bacterial evolution and the development of antibiotic resistance.

The project partners are currently delivering the 'A Question of Taste' workshop which was developed as part of the Survival Rivals project from the Wellcome Trust's Darwin 200 celebtrations.

A panel of members from the project team and the Wellcome Trust considered applications from a variety of organizations nationwide.

In April 2012 the participating organisations will be attending the Hands-on DNA National Meeting to showcase their efforts and network, as well as look to the future of molecular biology in their programmes.

We are now delighted to announce the participating organisations in Hands-on DNA: Exploring Evolution will be:

View ASDC - Hands-on DNA: Participating Organisations in a larger map

Bacterial Evolution

A Question of Taste

Techniquest
Eden Project
Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Glasgow Science Centre
L'Oreal Young Scientist Centre at the Royal Institution
The University of Sheffield in collaboration with Science Brainwaves
The University of Edinburgh in collaboration with National Museums Scotland
W5 at Odyssey

Don't forget to save the date for the National Hands-on DNA Meeting, Mon 17 April 2012 in the Wellcome Trust, London. Details will be posted closer to the date.

Together ASDC's members reach over 385,000 people a week, and we are extremely delighted to also be working with universities on this project.

Once this network is set up, over 6,000 school pupils will be able to access these high-quality DNA investigations across the UK every year.

We were extremely grateful to all the people who took the time to apply and hope that we will have the opportunity to work together more in the future.

If you would like any further information about the project, please email: michaela.livingstone@sciencecentres.org.uk