January 15, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Durfee) Mission Bay High School Students Begin A Series of DNA Studies The importance and power of DNA analysis is being tested at Mission Bay High School in January. A series of activities will help students learn about DNA strands and DNA molecules. On Jan. 21, from 10:04 -11:47 a.m. and Jan. 22, from 12:27-2:10 p.m., students at Mission Bay High School, 2475 Grand Avenue, are creating real DNA gels. Students will isolate DNA strands, carefully place them in gels, use electrophoresis, and then photograph the results to enable the strands to be measured and matched. The results of the measurements will allow students to determine if the DNA of a migrating whale matches the DNA of one of the five whale samples they are given. The DNA gel experiment held in the Mission Bay Science Lab is part of a series of events that involve students in DNA studies. Judith Jaskowiak, an origami expert, will hold an activity to culminate the DNA studies on Jan 29, from 10:04-11:47 a.m. In this activity, students from many different disciplines will fold paper and create three-dimensional DNA molecules. For more information contact Miles Durfee in the Communications Department at (619) 293-8414.