Biology GTAC Excursion 

Biology Units 3&4

St Albans SC was fortunate this year to gain a place in the Gene Technology Access Centre program: Outbreak! Identifying pathogens and controlling the spread of disease.

Year 12 students were able to use the research-grade laboratory facilities and apply a number of the molecular techniques they have learnt about in class to identify the strain of Influenza responsible for a disease outbreak.

They then investigated the infectiousness of the strain and developed strategies to control the spread. After a lunch break at the University of Melbourne, they braved the rain to walk to the Melbourne Museum.

Here, students explored specimens used by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace to develop the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection.

They also succeeded in the challenge that was set for them to find fossil specimens that could be dated using the four main types of absolute dating techniques.

Angela Hanley

Science Learning Area Coordinator