CENTER NEWS - THURS., AUGUST 17, 2000

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Biotech moves south to Centralia for a day,aided by Hutch scientists By Dr. Denise Simoneaux Henri Weeks   For a brief time, the hub for biotechnology in the state of Washington switched 85 miles south of Seattle to Centralia High School.      Biotech Day 2000, organized by Henri Weeks, teacher in the Center's Science Education Partnership, is an annual event in southwestern Washington, attracting students and teachers from 13 high schools in the region, as well as Center scientists.      The goal is to bring the tools and ideas of biotechnology to students and teachers from schools that have few resources. Hands-on lab activities are interspersed with seminars by scientists about their research and careers in biotechnology. Center researchers have participated in Biotech Day as speakers for several years.      The Center's Dr. Julie Randolf-Habecker, a postdoc in Beverly Torok-Storb's lab, was one of two guest speakers at this year's event.      "I was very impressed by the entire program in Centralia," says Randolf-Habecker. "A lot of the credit goes to Henri Weeks. He seems to be the driving force behind innovations in science teaching in that area of Washington. I think Henri's goals are great. He educates students but also the other faculty by his example." Healthy? Apheresis seeks donors The Center's Apheresis unit is collecting blood samples under contract to the laboratory of a private biotech firm. Healthy donors are needed. The lab provided compensation. Donors must have no history of hepatitis and must have good veins in each arm. Interested? Call Joanne Greene or Larisa Bikchurina at Ext. 4326.        Weeks, a 1993 SEP teacher, used a $15,000 award from US West to equip his school with modern lab equipment, such as electophoresis units and micropipettes. His vision, however, was greater than just providing his own students with these tools.      "I saw it as an opportunity to share technology and ideas with other schools in my region and to get kids and teachers excited about the world of biotechnology," Weeks says.      Weeks organized Biotech Day 2000 along with student helpers and financial support from more than 90 local and national sponsors. Biotech Day has become a community event in Centralia. Sponsors in the town of 14,000 provide soda, pizza, petri dishes and enzymes.      Biotech Day began with Weeks and student musicians rocking the audience with their rendition of a heavy metal song about biotechnology. A staged crime then led into a discussion of DNA fingerprinting and served as the backdrop for hands-on laboratory activities. Weeks' own students served as lab instructors, setting up the experiments and working one-on-one with visiting students.      Students attending Biotech Day each received a T-shirt bearing the "Yo Quiero DNA" (I want DNA), a take-off on a popular fast-food theme. They also took back to their schools molecular biology lab manuals that Weeks wrote.      Teachers from nearby schools are not merely chaperones. They participate in a lunchtime workshop learning hands-on DNA extraction. Weeks often loans out his lab equipment to teachers in the area who are inspired to incorporate DNA experiments into their curriculum.      "Henri's enthusiasm has positively affected the other faculty, encouraging them to become more innovative and creative," says Randolph-Habecker.      Weeks' example has also inspired his students. Inga Nelson, a junior at Centralia High School is conducting an independent research project with Weeks as her mentor.      "I feel really lucky to be in a school with this great teacher and all this cool stuff," Nelson says. "I'm glad we have a chance to share it with other schools."      [Dr. Denise Simoneaux is Science Education Partnership program manager.]