Science is in their DNA

MILFORD — Deoxyribonucleic acid, also known as DNA, carries the genetic code for all living organisms but is invisible to the naked eye — usually.
Mrs. Gina McCarthy’s science classes at Dingman-Delaware Middle School recently extracted their own DNA to help bring this otherwise intangible science concept to life.
Students Jessica Gould and Alexis Kleber said they'd taken a couple of notes about DNA in a previous class but didn’t really know that much before this year.
Students were surprised to discover how microscopic DNA really is, stating that the models and diagrams always make it look huge.
“Basically the extraction looks like slime, or a stringing, clearish-white mucous,” Mrs. McCarthy explained. “Some students love the lab and enjoy sharing the results with their parents, others think it’s gross.”
One student replicated the procedure at home, and another student from last year still has his DNA sample.
The process helps students understand what methods can or cannot be used to extract the genetic material for study, a subject of particular interest to Devin Brophy, who hopes to become a paleontologist.
“I saw one documentary where paleontologists were working with geneticists to determine whether an injured dinosaur was killed or had survived the fight,” Devin reported. “They were able to tell by measuring the growth after the injury.”
The DNA lab comes as a part of a unit on DNA structure and cellular division, including mitosis.
“Mitosis is a process that helps to heal wounds,” said Jessica Gould, who plans to study medical sciences, explained.
“And maybe someday, somebody can figure out how to speed up mitosis to help people heal faster,” Devin added.
But even students who do not plan to pursue a future in sciences found the experiment relevant.
“Knowing more about how you’re made up can teach you to be healthier,” said Alexis Kleber.
While DNA is the thing that makes us each unique, it is also something that we all have in common. And for these students, the opportunity to see DNA in real life has already inspired ideas that may one day impact our world.