CLS ABE Program May 2023 Weekend Class Activities Successfully Completed

CLS is committed to promoting the cultivation of cutting-edge talents through cutting-edge scientific research. Since its establishment, CLS has taken the initiative to undertake public affairs and public education, and has been striving to enhance the level of science popularization and the spirit of science in the whole society. In addition to sharing the latest research achievements of the CLS, the CLS will introduce the Amgen Biotech Experience ("ABE") program in 2021, a global hands-on science project.

This semester, the teaching team of the program took into account the new situation after the outbreak of the epidemic and designed a 1.5-day ABE weekend class version in accordance with the needs of the college entrance exam. The model is based on molecular biology content and is applicable to all Biology elective students, which can help them better understand the section of "Genetic Engineering" in the textbook. The first weekend class in April was a great success, and this was the second time that the weekend class format was offered.

On May 20, 2023, the eighth ABE training activity was successfully held. Thirty-five high school students and six first-line high school biology teachers from nine high schools, including Beijing No.161 High School, Beijing No.80 High School, Beijing No.9 High School, Beijing Jingyuan School, Beijing No.1 Shunyi Niulanshan High School, Wangjing School of Tsinghua University, NPC Affiliated High School, Beijing Jingshan School Ocean Branch, and Beijing No.20 High School, participated in this experimental experience activity.

This course was mainly taught by Ma Caiping, a key instructor at the Center for Modern Life Science Experimental Teaching and Learning ("Experimental Teaching and Learning Center" for short) of Tsinghua University. in the morning of May 20, Ms. Ma Caiping led the experiments of plasmid extraction, electrophoresis and enzymatic digestion, and in the afternoon of May 20, Ms. Li Yaoxi, a new lecturer at the Experimental Teaching and Learning Center, led the experiments of ligation, recovery, and E. coli transformation. In the afternoon of June 3, Ms. Ma Caiping firstly led us to review the content and analyze the results of E. coli transformation, and then carried out PCR identification of positive clones and induced expression experimental operation. The training was rich in content, the curriculum was compact, the content was targeted, the experiments were interspersed with visits to the herbarium during the waiting period, which increased the interest, and the training reached the expected goal. Teaching team members Yingzi Li and Sakurako Cui participated in this activity.

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Classmates in the experiment

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Herbarium visit

On the morning of June 3, Jiang Yi, project leader of ABE China mainland site and office director of CLS attended the closing ceremony, expressed his thanks and affirmation to everyone for their enthusiasm to attend the training during the weekend, and then introduced the origin of the project and why we should do the ABE project with the starting point of original drug and innovative drug R&D, explaining that this experience is to bring the ongoing scientific research of the real laboratory to the classroom. After that, he introduced the origin of the program and why the ABE program is done, explaining that this experience is to bring the real laboratory research into the classroom, hoping that everyone can gain something through the experience and feel the extraordinary charm of research.

This activity was a great success, and we are looking forward to the weekend class next semester!

（Translated by deepl）