West River Eagle

MIT instructor helps students explore DNA and proteins during Dupree Science Night



Nineteen students from Dupree and Faith high schools attended a special science event at Dupree High School on Tuesday evening, February 26th.

With MIT instructor Kathleen Vandiver, guiding them, the students used advanced, proprietary chemistry models developed by the presenter to explore how genes on a DNA molecule allow message transcription and translation into proteins needed by cells.

During this two-hour session, the group explored a variety of problems, including the development of DNA mutations and how some activities, such as tobacco smoking, can affect the DNA.

After the session, the instructor gifted numerous sets of the DNA learning kits, that she and her husband designed and patented, to Mr. Peacock’s science program.

This session was presented through a partnership with Missouri Breaks Research, NYU Medical School, and the MIT Center for Environmental Health Sciences & MIT Edgerton Center. Dupree science teacher, Mark Peacock, was the session host, and Kathleen Vandiver, Ph.D, M.Ed. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was the presenter.

 

DHS juniors, Kadynse Buffalo and McKenna Dupris, putting together a DNA model.

Dupree sophomore, Malory Peacock, and senior, Racheal Barrera, working with the chemistry models to develop their own DNA design. Photo by Patty Peacock

Dupree sophomore, Malory Peacock, and senior, Racheal Barrera, working with the chemistry models to develop their own DNA design. Photo by Patty Peacock

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