Outreach > Middle School > Introduction

MSI Outreach: Middle School

Unless you’ve lived in rural Antarctica your entire life, chances are that you’ve heard of DNA, the genetic material that makes every human unique. DNA is comprised of long chains of nucleotides, or code words in the form of the sugars adenine, cytosine, guanine and thiamine, arranged in distinctive sequences. Genomics, a branch of genetic sciences, is the study of these nucleotide sequences and its implications for protein functionality in the human body.

MSI researchers specialize in the field of genomics. But rather than using complex human DNA, we study the DNA of the same yeast organism that leavens bread! In fact, scientists often use everyday organisms and materials in their seemingly intricate experiments. And you can too! We encourage middle school students like you to participate in a science fair. f you don’t already know, science fairs are a wonderful and rewarding experience (and they can land you with a few prizes as well!).

The whole science fair process may seem daunting at first. We recommend that you consider Science Buddies, a non-profit organization that will pair you with real scientists and mentors just anxious to help with your science fair.

But before you start an experiment, we encourage you to learn about the interesting science behind genomics and other genetic-related fields. Follow the links to the many fun and interactive sites that will help you to tackle these concepts.