AMGEN Biotechnology Experience (ABE)

• Teacher Training
• Kit Loan
• FREE consumables and learning materials
• Contemporary Molecular Biology training aligned to UK curricula

New schools always welcome, get in touch directly if the period of training courses has passed.

Detail of course content and dates for the 2019 Norwich sessions can be seen below. We hope to offer a similar programme in June 2020.

 

A bit of history ...

In 2012, TSN collaborated with the Science Learning Centre East of England, now the University of Hertfordshire STEM Learning Centre and the University of Cambridge to be the first organisations to bring the Amgen Bruce Wallace programme (now Amgen Biotechnology Experience) out of the US, to upskill UK science teachers in modern molecular biology techniques and provide the consumables for these schools to carry-out Nobel-winning practical science with their students.

The Norwich hub (coordinated by TSN) had its first cohort of schools take part in Summer 2012. Following a 2-day training course, teachers and their technicians had access to the Amgen kit throughout 2012-13. Now many more schools have joined the programme keen to bring contemporary science practicals to their schools and thanks to continued funding from the Amgen Foundation we will be holding more training this summer, 2019, covering Introductory, Extension and Advanced courses.

Existing teachers

Please remember if you need to access any course materials, these are available via this link (contact us if you require a prompt for the login details)

2019: free CPD and access to kit & consumables

DNA manipulation in the classroom (#1): 26 & 27 June 2019. Teachers 1 day, Technicians 2 days
For new participants in the Amgen Biotech Experience programme.
Gain confidence to carry out and teach micropipetting; restriction digestion; ligation; agarose gel electrophoresis.

Biotechnology for the classroom (#2a): 25 June & 1 July 2019 (am). Teachers 1 day, Technicians 1.5 days
For teachers/technicians who have attended course 1, to extend knowledge beyond DNA manipulation in the classroom, aimed primarily at sixth form level.
Gain confidence to carry out and teach analytical PCR and bacterial transformation, building on skills of micropipetting and agarose gel electrophoresis.

DNA profiling and PCR for KS4 & beyond (#2b): 24 June & 1 July 2019 (am). Teachers 1 day, Technicians 1.5 days
For teachers/technicians who have attended course 1, to build upon experience gained in DNA manipulation in the classroom course. Designed for extending knowledge at KS4 and beyond.
Gain confidence to carry out and teach DNA profiling and PCR, building on skills of micropipetting and agarose gel electrophoresis.

Extending DNA activities for students: 1 July 2019 (pm only)
For teachers/technicians who have attended course #1 and #2a and/or #2b, designed as a forum for new ideas on teaching biotechnology.
Gain confidence teaching about biotechnology using a range of contemporary sources, techniques and resources.