Certificate in Biotechnology Training:
The aim of the 3-month training program is to prepare high school students, undergraduate, graduate and tutors to pursue careers in the life sciences through hands-on experiential learning. The certificate course currently trains high school students, undergraduate and graduate students. Courses taught includes ecology and biodiversity, genetics, microscopy and drug discovery. We have trained more than 40 elementary students, 15 high school, 5 undergraduates and 1 doctoral student since our inception. In addition, through a partnership with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center, we recently organized a DNA barcoding workshop in Ghana to train high school tutors in genetics and DNA sequencing.
The next workshop is scheduled for Sept 3 – 5, 2024.
DNA Barcoding Technology and its applications
DNA barcoding is a molecular technique that uses a short, standardized DNA sequence from a specific region of an organism’s genome as a unique identifier, similar to a barcode on a product.
The primary goal of DNA barcoding is to enable the rapid and accurate identification of species by comparing the DNA barcode sequence of an unknown sample to a reference database of known species barcodes.
Here are some of the key applications of DNA barcoding in everyday life:
• DNA barcoding allows for the accurate identification of species, even when traditional morphological identification is difficult or impossible.
• It can be used to detect and prevent illegal trade of protected species by rapidly identifying the species from samples.
• DNA barcoding can be used to verify the species composition of food products, detecting adulteration or substitution of ingredients.
• DNA barcoding can be used in forensic investigations to identify the species of origin for biological evidence, such as hair, feathers, or plant materials.
• DNA barcoding can be used to identify plant and animal pests, pathogens, and diseases, aiding in disease management and control in agriculture and veterinary settings.
The widespread applications of DNA barcoding make it a valuable tool in fields such as ecology, conservation biology, food science, forensics, and many others, driving advancements in research,
policy, and sustainable resource management. This program is for senior high school tutors, colleges of education tutors, lecturers, researchers, graduates, and undergraduate students interested in understanding the technique and application in everyday life.
Register here
African Seminar Series
Conferences
Junior Training Program
Advanced Training Program
International Exchange Program
High School Tutors Training
Past presentations organized through the African Seminar Series can be assessed on Sena Institute of Technology Youtube Channel above.
Past Speakers
Tom Broker, PhD Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Title: Early Electron Microscopic Studies of DNA Structures, Genome Organization and Gene Expression in Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes.
Andrew Seeber, PhD Harvard Fellow, Harvard Center for Advanced Imaging
Title: Chromatin mobility and precision genome engineering.
Kim McKim, PhD Professor, Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, USA
Title: How chromosomes direct their own segregation in Drosophila oocytes.
Doug Richardson PhD, Director, Harvard Center for Biological Imaging, USA
Title: Clarifying tissue clearing.
Gisele Miranda PhD Chan-Zuckerberg Imaging Scientist & Researcher at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Title: Image Analysis Using Open Software.
Christian Hellriegel PhD Carl Zeiss Corporation
Title: Super-resolution Optical Microscopy – A review of techniques, theoretical backbones and applications.
Leila Mostaço-Guidolin, PhD, P.Eng. Assistant Professor, Department of Systems and Computer Engineering, Carleton University, Canada
Title: Microscopy, image analysis and 3D-bioprinting: combining tools to understand collagen remodelling