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Building with Biology: VirEx Delivery

In this activity, learners explore the potential for engineered viruses to deliver beneficial, targeted genetic information to sites throughout the body.

DESCRIPTION

In this Building with Biology activity, visitors explore the potential for engineered viruses to deliver beneficial, targeted genetic information to sites throughout the body, and discuss their hopes and concerns regarding this technology. Visitors create a model of the technology by combining multiple strands of yarn (DNA) and placing them in takeout containers covered in instructions (viruses' protein shells, or capsids).

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  • Facilitators and learners building a VirEx delivery container with crafting supplies
  • Building with Biology VirEx Delivery activity components
  • Learner takes a look inside of their VirEx container
  • Learner putting yellow sticky label on takeout container as part of virus delivery model
  • Young learner assembling a VirEx container with crafting supplies
  • Facilitators and learners building a VirEx delivery container with crafting supplies
  • Building with Biology VirEx Delivery activity components
  • Learner takes a look inside of their VirEx container
  • Learner putting yellow sticky label on takeout container as part of virus delivery model
  • Young learner assembling a VirEx container with crafting supplies

DESCRIPTION

In this Building with Biology activity, visitors explore the potential for engineered viruses to deliver beneficial, targeted genetic information to sites throughout the body, and discuss their hopes and concerns regarding this technology. Visitors create a model of the technology by combining multiple strands of yarn (DNA) and placing them in takeout containers covered in instructions (viruses' protein shells, or capsids).

JUMP TO BROWSE RELATED RESOURCES

TRAINING VIDEOS

OBJECTIVES

BIG IDEA

Synthetic biology generates new tools and knowledge. Synthetic biology is interconnected with society.

LEARNING GOALS

  • Synthetic biologists solve problems by applying engineering principles to the life sciences.

  • Researchers in the field of synthetic biology are engineering viruses to help treat diseases.

  • Synthetic biology benefits from many voices.

Credits

YEAR CREATED
2016
OWNING INSTITUTION

Children’s Museum of Houston and the Museum of Science

FUNDING

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number DRL 1421179.  Any opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

PERMISSIONS

Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).
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DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

NISE Network products are developed through an iterative collaborative process that includes scientific review, peer review, and visitor evaluation in accordance with an inclusive audiences approach. Products are designed to be easily edited and adapted for different audiences under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike license. To learn more, visit our Development Process page.