St Albans: School qualifies for DNA specialised training

A school in St Albans will be studying the blueprints of humans with the help of an American biotechnology firm. Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School has been lucky enough to qualify for the biotechnology programme run by Amgem.

This means a teacher and technician will be trained in advanced DNA engineering techniques – and then pass this information down to students. The school will also qualify to use specialised equipment which is used at the forefront of industry.

Nick Attoe, head of of biology at the school in Colney Heath Lane said: “We should be using the equipment with the A2 biology students as part of their course, and this will be really exciting to be able to train students to carry out biotechnology techniques that are used currently in professional laboratories using the same equipment. This will really enhance the quality of the learning.”

Lessons will include allowing DNA to be cut chemically using restriction enzymes and then identifying what has been made using gel electrophoresis technique and so better understand the role biotechnology’s potential impact has in our future.