Leveling Up Biology: Gel Electrophoresis Lab for Every 9th Grader

That’s the title of the grant Mount Si High School biology teacher Shannon Etnyre applied for—and was thrilled to receive this year. The project is focused on exposing every 9th grade biology student to one of today’s most exciting and fast-growing fields of science: biotechnology!

Gel electrophoresis is a laboratory technique used in fields ranging from forensic science to medical research. It is one of the most common methods scientists use to observe biological molecules, separating them by size and electrical charge.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation, the high school was able to purchase MiniPCR systems called Bandit. These compact systems combine easy-to-use equipment with innovative lab activities, making the science behind gel electrophoresis both accessible and engaging for students. As a result, biology students across all 15 classes will learn how gel electrophoresis works, how to build a gel electrophoresis chamber, and how to apply their skills through two hands-on laboratory investigations.

When these photos were taken on March 27, students in Ms. Etnyre’s last-period class were conducting a Dye Electrophoresis Lab known as Molecular Rainbow. After learning how to build their gels and practicing earlier in the week, students were ready to put their new skills into action. Working in small groups, they took turns using a syringe-like tool to inject colored dye samples into the wells of an agarose gel submerged in a buffer solution, creating simple “rainbows” within compact chambers equipped with positive and negative electrodes.

When electricity was applied for 10 minutes, students witnessed how the different colors moved through the gel. From this, they were able to draw conclusions about the size and electrical charge of the molecules that comprised each color.

One student—wearing protective eyewear that he described as “super science-y”—explained, “Charged molecules will move through the gel toward the oppositely charged electrode,” much to the delight of his teacher.

Next, the class will apply these same techniques to a DNA Dye Learning Lab called Microbe Hunters. In this scenario, students will analyze simulated samples collected during a NASA space expedition to determine whether the samples brought back to Earth contain “deadly” microbes.

“Thanks to the Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation, every 9th-grade student gets to experience these hands-on lab lessons,” said Ms. Etnyre. “We are so grateful—we could not make this happen without this grant. Plus, the kids are loving it.”

Read more stories about Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation grants, and how community donations are making a difference in classrooms throughout our district.