It's Genetic! DNA & Cancer Lab Activity

Today, we did an experiment regarding DNA & Cancer! First we extracted DNA from strawberries, and used the anti-cancer drug cis platin with gel agarose electrophoresis (we felt like real scientists!). It was an amazing learning experience and we learned about DNA, its function, and how DNA is replicated. With the help of Gayani, a PhD candidate in Biochemistry and her lab team, we were able to learn how to do our experiments. The DNA extraction lab consisted of a strawberry, an extraction solution composed of shampoo, H2O (water), and NaCl (salt), and isopropanol. First, we had to smoosh the strawberries, pour in the extraction solution and once we filtered it, we added the isopropanol and saw the DNA float to the top of the tube. We collected the DNA and it was so interesting to see how the DNA looked and that a tiny strawberry had so much! We then prepared gels for electrophoresis to see how the gels would show the difference between DNA and DNA with the cis-platin drug. It was a fun lab and to be able to learn so much about the DNA that makes our bodies and cells function every day was the best part of it all!

- Mentors Fariha & Sabrina