Information for teachers

DNA is an important yet abstract topic in biology and chemistry education. In practice it can be quite challenging for pupils to comprehend the crucial role it plays in all organisms. Furthermore, with the genomics research techniques available these days, more and more data about genomes, DNA and proteins become available and the results of this research have a strong influence on our daily lives.

Bioinformatics is one of these new areas in genomics research. With this website we strive to bring bioinformatics to your school and to your home. Bioinformatics@school lets you and your pupils study DNA and proteins from a bioinformatics point of view. But what is bioinformatics? What do bioinformaticians do? And what is the use of bioinformatics? These questions can be answered by doing the modules on this website:

• The theory section provides background knowledge and gives an overview of the field of bioinformatics
• The in practice section gives a number of examples of what bioinformaticians do.
• The close to home section section describes products of bioinformatics research that we encounter in our daily lives. It also provides a starting point to pupils who want to do their own bioinformatics projects.

All the education modules available on this site are briefly described on the homepage. In the table below you will find more information about the modules. They can be used in any combination you see as appropriate for your pupils.

Module	Topics	Remarks
Theory - the basics	DNA, proteins, enzymes	Knowledge needed for practicums, especially for 3D parts
Theory - bioinformatics	Explain bioinformatics, need for computers, genomes, databanks	Needed to understand the concept of bioinformatics
In practice - murder at the airport	Search protein databanks (with BLAST) to identify 4 unknown proteins found at crime scene	Can be combined with 3D drug design
In practice - 3D drug design	Look at protein 3D structure, analyze interactions in protein, study possible drug	Yasara program needed (see software), a good follow-up to murder at the airport
In practice - retinitis pigmentosa	Study rhodopsin gene with mutations in patients with this disease. Study protein 3D structure	Yasara needed
Close to home - bioinformatics shop	Discuss supermarket and pharmacy products created with bioinformatics	Under construction
Close to home - essays	Applying the acquired bioinformatics skills from the practicums	A good starting point for science projects, essays and reports
Extras - more in 3D	Protein 3D structure	For pupils interested in protein structures

Contact

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