So DNA is a
molecule that we find in all cells, in all organisms on the planet,
whether it's from humans, bacteria, plants, mammals.
We've all got DNA inside our cells.
And DNA is effectively the instructions for how to live.
So it encodes all sorts of genes which are little bits of sequence
that encode useful things in your body.
So your DNA and your genes determine your eye color.
They partially determine your height.
They determine whether you can digest lactose.
They can determine how likely you are to get cancer.
So DNA underpins all of the fundamental biological processes.
So if we took all the DNA from all of the cells in your body and laid it end to end,
it would go from the earth to the sun about 66 times.
So in today's practical,
our students are taking some bacteria that have been genetically modified
with a plasmid containing a particular gene.
And what they're doing is to do a process called PCR, which is where we amplify
that specific gene.
We make millions and millions of copies of it,
and then the students are running that on a electrophoresis gel so they can see
whether they've got copies of that gene in that bacteria or not.
When you're in school, you just use like
basic equipment and you’re not allowed to touch the expensive stuff, you know.
It’s always the teacher doing that for you.
But when you're at uni
and lab stuff like this, you get to use it yourself.
You get to see what it does.
So this lab is fantastic.
You walk in and it's an actual lab.
It's not benches and stalls and gas tabs.
It's, you know, we do research and here we find
things out here. And it's a great opportunity to have.