Biomedical Newsletter

February, 2011

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Project Lead the Way and Career & Technical Education Course:

Currently all 9th and 10th grade students in Cleveland’s School of Life Sciences (SoLS, also known as the Life Science & Global Health Academy) are taking

Project Lead the Ways (PLTW) Principles of Biomedical Sciences (PBS) Course. Next year SoLS will also be offering the second of four PLTW Biomedical

Courses, Human Body Systems (HBS).

Principles of Biomedical Sciences Students study human medicine, the research process, are introduced to

bioinformatics, and use computer science, mathematics, and information theory to model and analyze biological systems. Students also investigate the

human body systems and various health conditions including: heart disease, diabetes, sickle-cell disease, and infectious diseases.

What’s new with Biomedical Sciences?

NWABR Student BioExpo on May 24, 2010 According to the Northwest Association for Biomedical Research (NWABR)

website, “The Student BioExpo is a unique program that engages high school students in creative ways to demonstrate their understanding of the

life sciences, and that connects them to scientists and resources in the community”.

Cleveland currently has 40 students

working on projects for the BioExpo taking place at Bellevue’s Meydenbauer Center. The topics of student projects include malaria, water quality,

leukemia, cancer, viruses, and autism. All BioExpo students are supported by one of 13 mentors from 8 different local Seattle organizations that include Pixel

Theory, Seattle BioMed, the University of Washington, Amgen, NWABR and Cyberanalysis.

Contents

Biomedical Courses 1

NWABR Student BioExpo 1

Upcoming Events 1

BioExpo Club Officers 1

Photo Gallery 2

Fieldtrip to UW 2

Fieldtrip to TGI 2

NWABR Science Café 2

Washington State University is now a

PLTW Affiliate for Training and Outreach.

For more information go to:

spokane.wsu.edu/researchoutreach/pltw/

Human Body Systems Students design experiments,

investigate the structures and functions of body systems, and use data acquisition software to monitor body functions such as muscle

movement, reflex and voluntary actions, and respiratory operation. Students work through interesting real-world cases and play the role of

biomedical professionals to solve medical mysteries.

Twelve Cleveland students are a part of a new project called SEAVURIA.

SEAVURIA.org states, “SEAVURIA pairs students from Vuria, in rural Kenya with Seattle-area students and mentoring scientists. International

teams of students will develop collaborative global health research projects.” The Cleveland SEAVURIA students are working on one of three

global health projects: Malaria, Substance Abuse, or Water Quality.

Cleveland SEAVURA Videos:

Malaria: youtube.com/watch?v=GHI9nf-qXB0

Substance Abuse: youtube.com/watch?v=ytpm01upsy0

Water Quality:

youtube.com/watch?v=z-T5in2Qllk

Principal Princess Shareef

Vice-Principal Marjor ie Mi ll igan

Biomedical Teacher Dr. Jeff Shaver

Upcoming Events

Seattle BioExpo on May 24, 2011

Check out:

www.nwabr.org/stude

ntbiotech/default.html

BioExpo Club Officers

Carmina Tugade, President

Katie Bui, Vice President

Lizbeth Pascual, Secretary

Jennifer Chhan, Treasurer

Chai Tay, Communications

Victoria Rivera, Communications

Twenty-four Cleveland students went on an evening fieldtrip from Cleveland to the University of Washington. While at UW, the students participated in several events to enhance their understanding of biomedical science

careers, tour research facilities, and meet scientists.

During the fieldtrip students met with their NWABR BioExpo Mentors, took a tour of a Biology lab and greenhouse, toured an Immunology lab, were treated to

dinner and discussion by the Molecular Medicine Program staff, and attended the Molecular Medicine Public Lecture presented by Dr. David Dale. Dr. Dale presented on his long-term research on neutropenia, a disease that

involves a decrease in the level of a person’s white blood cells (specifically neutrophils) and the weakening of their immune system.

During the lecture, the audience was provided the opportunity to meet one of Dr. Dale’s patients, whom he

has treated for over 20 years.

To view a video of this fieldtrip, please go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWrZO2nnKrM

Fieldtrip to the University of Washington Feb. 8, 2011

Fieldtrip to Targeted Growth, Inc. (TGI) February 15, 2011

“We need to internalize this idea

of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to

be excellent.”

- Barack Obama President

“Our students are striving to be

excellent, and are preparing for their

futures.”

- Jeff Shaver

Biomed Teacher

Cleveland High School

5511 15th Ave South

Seattle, WA 98108

E-mail:

jmshaver@seattleschools.org

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www.seattleschools.org/schools/cleveland/sols.html

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Cleveland biomedical science students

went on a fieldtrip to Targeted Growth, Inc. (TGI). According to TGI’s website, they are a “crop biotechnology company focused on developing products with

enhanced yield and improved quality for the agriculture and energy industries.”

While at TGI, Cleveland students worked with a team of TGI scientists studying the use of genetically-modified

algae for efficient biofuel production. With the guidance of the TGI scientists, Cleveland students participated in three 45-minute hands-on activities. These

sessions included: (1) the conversion of

vegetable oil to biofuel, (2) setting up

an algae growth experiment, and (3) separating algae pigments and fats using Thin Layer Chromatography.

Thanks to the scientists of TGI, Aaron Anton, Brett Kaiser, Cameron Miller,

David Lawson, Jason Hickman, Jim Roberts, and Tracey Jurista for supporting our students!

To view a video of this fieldtrip,

please go to: youtube.com/watch?v=b8idsYH18yk

During a fieldtrip to the University of Washington on Feb, 8 2011, Cleveland students explore the Greenhouse.

During the fieldtrip to the University of Washington, students also got a tour of Immunology lab in Health Sciences.

During a fieldtrip to Targeted Growth, Inc. on Feb. 15, 2011, Cleveland students learned how to convert vegetable oil to biofuel.

During the fieldtrip to Targeted Growth, students also learned how to separate out algae pigments and fats

using Thin Layer Chromatography.

Photo Gallery

Inaugural NWABR-Sponsored Cleveland Science Café February 18, 2011

In partnership with NWABR, BioExpo Club Officers invited Gladys Keitany from Seattle Biomed to talk to interested Cleveland students and staff

about her journey to biomedical research from Kenya, as well as her research on the development of a malaria vaccine specifically for

pregnant women. If you are interested in learning more about Gladys, please visit: www.seattlebiomed.org/stories-gladys-keitany. Gladys is completing her PhD from the University of Washington.

The next Science Café is on March 14, and the topic is Autism.