Description
Did an influenzer just go viral??
A routine bus trip to an away game and suddenly your muscles ache, you have a fever, headache, and feel nauseous. Your doctor alerts you to the recent news about a fast moving flu and the need to test students and chaperones to prevent an outbreak in your hometown.
This hands-on MiniLab introduces students to clinical diagnostics and the science of immunology through PCR amplification of DNA and ELISA antibody tests. Students will perform PCR to test for the presence of influenza virus (high positive, mild positive or negative), and evaluate ELISA antibody results for the same individuals. By looking at both sets of data, you can determine who has the flu and who may have natural immunity from previous exposure or vaccination.
This influenza lab is ideal for advanced secondary students and beginning university students in biology and biomedical programs.
Materials Included in Each MiniLab:
Each MiniLab contains enough materials for 10 workstations, 2 – 3 students per workstation.
- Ten 1.5% agarose GreenGel™ Cups
- One bottle of 100 mL Tris-Borate-EDTA (TBE) buffer concentrate, enough to make 2L of 1X running buffer
- FastTaq PCR MasterMix (2X)
- One primer set, forward and reverse
- Patient viral DNA samples (3 levels)
- MiniOne® DNA marker
- MiniOne® 5X sample loading dye
- One bag of 0.2 mL thin-wall PCR tubes
- One bag of 0.65 mL microcentrifuge tubes
**Please note the following equipment is REQUIRED but not included:
- MiniOne PCR System with power supply + cord or water bath or heat block
- Centrifuge capable of spinning PCR tubes such as the MiniOne SpiniOne benchtop microcentrifuge w/ photo hood or equivalent centrifuge
- 2-200 uL pipette tips
Teaching Resources
Utilize these teachers guides and classroom handouts to get the most out of your Who Has The Flu? Tracing Transmission with ELISA and PCR MiniLab MiniLab.
