Check on biotech

Welcome to Check on Biotech’s homepage. Check on Biotech is a concept developed at the Department that allows high school students to lay their own hands on actual plant transformation.

 

We have produced two kits for the upper secondary school classes, where students can try to engineer genetically (transform) and to work with genetically engineered (transgenic) plants. It is our intention that the kits set the stage for an ethical debate on gene technology and provide the students with a useful insight into risk assessment and safety procedures with respect to gene technology.

 

The kit comes in two versions, one for transformation of Arabidopsis plants and the other for evaluation of transgenic insect resistance (read more about the kits). The kits have become very popular in Denmark and are now in demand for Sweden, Germany and USA as well.

 

By introducing this initiative, we hope to provide the students with a more nuanced picture of gene technology and facilitate the formation of their own opinion on these techniques. Furthermore, the kits are intended as an inspiration for assignments at upper secondary schools and other upper secondary school educations.

 

Initially, five upper secondary schools (Allerød Gymnasium, Solrød Gymnasium, Frederiksberg HF, Grindsted Gymnasium og Ribe Katedralskole) tested the kits. We have now received the definite authorization for the experiments as an agreement has been entered between the Danish Ministry of Education and the Danish Working Environment Authority. Consequently, we can offer the kits to the upper secondary schools and the higher preparatory courses that have an interest. You can get more information about the background.

 

If you have any questions with regard to Check on Biotech, please contact us on