GTAC 

Real-World Science

The Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC) is Victoria’s leading source of Life Sciences learning and education, providing an innovative and collaborative educational environment for students to access life-science expertise. 

Angela Olah

Teacher - 

 At GTAC, students meet and talk with practicing scientists, and can actively engage with contemporary research studies, knowledge and technology.

Located in Parkville, GTAC is a must-see experience for our budding BSC scientists, because it allows our students to put the concepts and skills learnt in class to the test, with university grade equipment and scientists we wouldn’t have access to in the regular classroom. In this session, the students were tasked to be forensic scientists for the morning, using their understanding of DNA, chromosomes and inheritance to analyse genetic samples left by a murderer at the scene of the crime. They conducted blood typing diagnostics and performed gel electrophoresis which allowed them to create a DNA profile for the suspect. Using multiple lines of evidence, they were successfully able to solve the case!  

This session allowed the students to see the applications of genetic testing in a real-world scenario, as well as get insights into the potential pathways that studying Biology can offer. It was fantastic to see the students making the most of spending time with the scientists, not only deepening their understanding of genetics but also asking them questions about their work and getting insights into their career. 

Click on the gallery below to enlarge photos.

Francesca Porte 

Year 10

During the excursion to GTAC I learned a lot about how DNA in the blood can be linked to a suspects in a crime scene, and the processes which investigators use to investigate the case. 

As a group we went over some of the things we have learned at school and applied it to real life scenarios. Overall, the experiments we conducted at the excursion were both enjoyable and interesting.