Issue 6 2007 - acpfg

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ACPFG VECTORGet into Genes New DevelopmentsBy Belinda BarrDue to increased demand Get into Genes has expanded; we nowhave a new home within the Plant Genomics Centre, Adelaide andoffer new PCR workstations.Feedback from teachers has been extremely positive; they havetold us that they like the new lab and the overall experience studentsgain when attending the workshop.‘Since Get into Genes is now located in a working laboratory wecan provide a unique learning space where teachers, students anddemonstrators can interact’ said Dr Heather Bray, Education Manager,Molecular Plant Breeding CRC.The move from the Plant Genomics Centre Seminar Room into theLaboratory has also enabled the Get into Genes team to respond tothe many teacher requests and finally offer PCR workstations.‘Our new PCR stations complement the curriculum and are helpfulfor teachers’ said Dr Bray.PCR is often challenging to teach and hard to demonstrate in practicedue to the cost of the equipment and gaining access to informationdetailing exactly how the equipment is used in molecular plantbreeding programs.‘We are happy that we can offer the workshop for free and giveschools access to both the new equipment and information that’sdirectly relevant to their learning objectives’ Dr Bray concluded.Get into Genes Goes WestBy Belinda BarrGet into Genes has headed west – with MPBCRC and ACPFG enteringinto a collaboration with the ARC Centre for Excellence in PlantEnergy Biology (PEB).This new joint venture sees PEB delivering Get into Genes intoSchools within Western Australia.‘We are excited that we are the first interstate collaborative partner tobegin delivering Get into Genes’ said Yvonne Van Der Ploeg, Educationand Outreach Officer with PEB.‘For us, Get into Genes provided a perfect opportunity to collaboratewith other like minded scientific organisations to deliver a high qualityaward winning program to schools in Australia. It had all of the elementsthat we were looking for, great hands on activities, a fun learningenvironment and strong educational links to the curriculum’ said MsVan Der Ploeg.Initial sessions in WA have gone extremely well with positivefeedback received from both the students and teachers.Get into Genes is now being delivered in Western Australia, SouthAustralia and Victoria.20‘By working closely with ACPFG and MPCRC we are able to make a real impact in providing inspiration to a whole new generation of plant scientists in Australia’.
ISSUE 6 – 20072007TransformationWorkshop16 to 20 July 2007 University of Adelaide’s Waite CampusACPFG is running anintensive, week longTransformationWorkshop.Course topics include (among others):• Genetic engineering techniques• Introduction and practical training inthe principles of plant tissue culture• Molecular analysis of transformed plantsThis workshop gives participants the opportunity to gain a practical and theoretical insight to the technologies used intransformation, tissue culture and genetic engineering. For further details and a registration form contact Amanda Hudswellby email: amanda.hudswell@acpfg.com.au or phone +61 8 8303 7230.AusBiotech South Australia LaunchBy Heath WhiteWednesday 28 March marked the launch of the South Australianchapter of the AusBiotech Students Association (ABSA).More than 60 undergraduate and postgraduate students convenedat the Edinburgh Hotel to take part in the hypothetical debate;‘Science isn’t just about working in the laboratory’. A diverse arrayof biotechnology professions were represented by four specialists;Dr Anne Collins (Managing director, Hospira); Dr Justin Coombes(Patent and trademark attorney, Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick); DrIan Dry (Research scientist, CSIRO plant industry) and Dr MaryanneDemasi (Science reporter, CATALYST).Not only did the speakers present an informative and entertainingsynopsis of their careers; they also provided invaluable informationabout how to achieve professional goals, for example, by highlightingthe importance of networking. Concluding questions were followed bythe opportunity for students to network with speakers, which a greatmany took advantage of, accompanied by drinks and finger foods.The launch was a great success and demonstrates the motivation anddedication that South Australian Biotechnology students show in theirfield. The ABSA Committee would like to extend a special thanks toeach of the speakers and to our sponsors: Adelaide Microscopy (silversponsor), the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (bronzesponsor) and Shingleback wines (prize sponsor).The ABSA committee is comprised of students from each ofthe three South Australian Universities and includes ACPFG’s ownHeath White, Jenna Malone, Alexandra Smart, and Belinda Barr asa special consultant.The panel, Dr Anne Collins,Hospira; Dr Justin Coombs,Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick;Dr Ian Dry, CSIRO; DrMaryanne Demasi, Catalyst21
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Issue 6 2007 - acpfg

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