Course Listing
Grade – 6th to 9th
Course Information
| Age | 11-15 |
| Format/ Schedule | Vacation / Summer |
| Location | Torrance, CA |
| 2025 Dates | July 14th – July 18th and August 4th – August 8th |
| Duration | 5 Days |
| Times | 9.00am – 3.00pm Monday – Friday (After care to 5pm is available at no extra cost) |
| Class size | 6 |
| Eligibility | Stem Cells and Biotechnology is an intermediate-level, hands-on program open to both residential and international students. It is suited to science enthusiasts with basic knowledge of cells and molecular biology. No prior laboratory experience is required to take this course. If your child has not attended basic biology classes in school we recommend completing our Intro to Cell Biology program before joining this course. Students are required to arrange their own transportation to and from the program. |
| Admission | Eligible students are accepted on a first-come-first-served rolling basis up to 1 week before the course start date. Additional questions? Click here to learn more about our general admissions policy or call us at 310-483-3651. |
Course Details
| Description | Stem Cells and Biotechnology is an intermediate-level course that explores the technical process of insulin biomanufacturing and lab grown meat. Participants learn how cells are engineered to make medicines (insulin) and food (lab grown meat) working hands-on in a biotech research laboratory with professional scientists who are also exceptional mentors. The five-day program is structured into two complementary sessions: Session 1 (Day 1-3) focuses on the technical process of engineering bacteria to produce human insulin. Participants learn how the human insulin gene is cloned and expressed in E. Coli cells to produce cGMP compliant purified insulin. Session 2 (Day 4-5) focuses on the technical process of growing meat in the lab from cultured animal stem cells. Participants learn how muscle stem cells are isolated, cultured and differentiated to produce muscle protein fibers that are engineered to create an edible meat product. The program provides: – Advanced practical skills and real-life techniques for isolating, culturing, and engineering living cells. – A real-world introduction to biotechnology, bioprocessing and the regulatory bodies that oversee biomanufacturing (FDA and USDA). – Preparation for diverse learning environments through a multidisciplinary curriculum that combines science with art, math, public policy, and regulatory compliance. – Exposure to biotechnology and real-world science. – Applicable skills and knowledge for future STEM programs such as high school biology and science fair research. – An opportunity to connect with other science enthusiasts. – A certificate of completion. – Early exposure to STEM careers. |
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| Curriculum | Session 1 (Day 1-3): Biomanufacturing of cGMP compliant human insulin using engineered E. Coli. During Session 1, participants learn how: – Expression plasmids are introduced into chemically competent bacteria (E. Coli) by a process called transformation. – Genetically modified (recombinant) bacteria are selected on agar plates. – Recombinant bacteria are used as insulin production factories and cultured to large quantities in bioreactors. – Protein based medicines like insulin are purified from bacteria by column chromatography. Session 1 also includes a BioArt project – painting with fluorescent bacteria. Session 2 (Day 4-5): Production of lab grown meat from mammalian stem cells. During Session 2, participants learn how: – Muscle stem cells are expanded and differentiated within bioreactors to generate muscle protein fibers. – Stem cell derived muscle protein fibers are engineered to make different meat products. – Stem cells can be cultured and differentiated on tissue scaffolds to create “cuts of meat” comprised of structured muscle tissue. Session 2 also introduces the regulatory bodies that oversee the production of cGMP compliant medicines and food (FDA and USDA) and the political logistics of making biomanufactured products available at an affordable price. |
| Features | – Inspiring multidisciplinary curriculum *Stem Cells and Biotechnology provides practical training in: BSL-1 lab safety, microscopy (phase contrast and fluorescent), pipetting, centrifuging, molecular biology, and genetic engineering (PCR, restriction digests, agarose gel electrophoresis, ligation dependent cloning, transformation, bacterial culture), protein purification, chromatography, bioprocessing (bioreactors), bioassays (immunocytochemistry), experimentation, cell culture, aseptic technique, tissue dissection, cell derivation, tissue scaffolds. |
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