Simulation 1: Cell Growth

Part 1: Cells

Challenge 1: Cellular Structure and Function

Context
Cameron’s dad has a heart condition that inspired Cameron to go to college to learn how advances in biomedical research can help grow new hearts. She just graduated as an Associate of Applied Science in Biotechnology and wants to work at a company called Cell Growth, Inc. Her interview is next week.


To prepare for her interview, she thinks about what kinds of questions she might be asked. She decides to review some basic information about cells and how cells get energy. She might get asked about this in her interview because to grow new heart cells, you need to know the structures of the cells that make up the heart and how heart cells make energy to beat and function. 


Assignment

Help Cameron review for her interview by describing the main parts of the eukaryotic cell and how heart cells make and use energy.  


Resources
Animal Cell Structure (Molecular Expressions, Web)
Cell Structure (Oregon State University, Web)
Biology 2e Open Stax Chapter 4, Chapter 15-17 (PDF/Web).


You can show your understanding by writing, recording, making a video, or other way.


Challenge 2: Cellular Growth Factors

Context
Cameron is motivated to get a job with Cell Growth, Inc. so she can be part of the team that helps grow fully functional, beating hearts. In her job, she would be responsible for making sure the environment is good for the heart cells to maintain stability, grow, and divide.  


Before her interview for this job, Cameron refreshes her background on cells. She really wants to do well on this interview and get this job! 

She thinks about questions she might get asked about heart cells and how to grow them. She reviews what she learned in her science classes about eukaryotic cells and how the environment impacts cell function. 


Assignment
How would you help Cameron prepare for her interview and  answer these questions:


Use terms such as: eukaryotic cells, homeostasis, temperature, oxygen, gene expression, stress conditions. 


Optional sentence starters: 


Resources

Growth factors (Web)

How Cells Obtain Energy (Web resource, Open Oregon Educational Resources)

What is an Environmental Factor (Web resource, Learn. Genetics Genetic Science Learning Center), 

What is Epigenetics (Web resource, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)


You can show your understanding by writing, recording, making a video, or other way.

Part 2: Manufacturing Practices

Challenge 1: Lab Safety

Context
Cameron has been hired at Cell Growth, Inc. She enjoys working on a team to help grow hearts. She hopes that advances in this technology will help people like her dad, who has had a heart condition his whole life. 


After her first week at Cell Growth Inc, her supervisor meets with her to check in. She asks about challenges Cameron has faced so far and what she needs to get better at her job.


Cameron worked in labs in college, but being in a real lab felt different because mistakes could be costly. It was hard to remember all the rules and regulations and avoid making a mistake that could impact the growth of the heart cells. 


As the newest team member, Cameron wants to make sure she knows the lab safety rules for donning and doffing PPE and for reducing contamination risk in the lab. These are two ways she can improve lab safety.


Assignment

Include terms such as hand washing, shoe covers, gown, mask/respirators, face shields, and gloves in your response.


Optional sentence starters: 


Include terms such as food or drink, glove use, lab attire, storage, and labeling in your answer.


Optional sentence starters:


Resources

Table modified from Sigma Aldrick Common Causes and Prevention of Microbial Contamination

You can show your understanding by writing, recording, making a video, or other way. 

Challenge 2: Cell Plating

Context

Cameron has started to be more comfortable in her new job at Cell Growth, Inc. She is finally ready to take more leadership cultivating the heart cells. 


She needs to be sure the lab environment is set up correctly so that the first step of the fabrication process, cell plating, goes smoothly. To do this, Cameron works with her team to focus on two important factors for cell plating: the temperature and biosafety.


Assignment

Optional sentence starters: 

Temperature is important in plating and maintaining cell cultures because…


Optional sentence starters:

One important reason why scientists use biosafety cabinets when cell plating is…


You can show your understanding by writing, recording, making a video, or other way.


Part 3: Contamination

Challenge 1: Aseptic Techniques

Context

Cameron continues to enjoy training new employees now that she has had several years of experience working in the Cell Growth, Inc lab. Her dad still has a heart condition and checks in with Cameron to learn more about what they are developing in her lab.


Unfortunately, recently there was contamination of some of the heart cells and this was a big setback for their work to grow new heart organs. 


Cameron thinks about how important it is to have a sterile environment so that the lab is free of all living organisms like viruses, bacteria, fungus, and spores. She decides to review the aseptic techniques with her team to be sure they all have the same techniques.


Assignment

Use terms such as sterilization, aseptic, microorganisms, reproduce, biosafety, biosafety cabinets

Optional sentence starters: 

Aseptic techniques are…

Sterilization is defined as …

To work in the biotechnology laboratory, the best technique is…



Optional sentence starter:

Five aseptic techniques used in a laboratory are…


Resources
 https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/infectioncontrol/glossary.htm#S 

You can show your understanding by writing, recording, making a video, or other way.


Challenge 2: Sterile Work Areas

Context
The new interns are working with Cameron at Cell Growth, Inc. Cameron continues to enjoy training new employees, but unfortunately, there was contamination of some of the heart cells. Cameron could not figure out what had happened- this is a big setback for their work to grow new heart organs.


One day, Cameron noticed some of the interns eating in the work area. She now understood what had happened to the cells and why there was contamination. Help Cameron explain to the interns:


Assignment


Optional sentence starters:

The purpose of a clean room is…

A sterile work area includes…



Optional sentence starters:


You can show your understanding by writing, recording, making a video, or other way.


Part 4: Calculations

Challenge 1: Stock Solutions

Context
In her work at  Cell Growth, Inc., Cameron is feeling encouraged by the heart cells that are growing and thriving. She has been at the company for five years now and she feels like she has been part of a team that is really making a difference in the quest to fabricate heart organs.


One of the skills Cameron learned in college and she still uses every day in her job is checking calculations to make sure the solutions that keep the heart cells growing are correct. One small mistake in calculations can ruin the entire cell culture! 


Cameron and her team repeatedly check the calculations for their solutions to prevent this from happening. 


Assignment


Use the terms conductivity meter (salt solutions), spectrophotometer (colorimetric solutions), light scattering properties of solutes.

 

Optional sentence starters:

The concentration of a solution can be determined by…

To calculate how much stock solution you will need, you can use the formula … 


Resources
 Deliberate Documentation (NC Bionetwork, website), Calculating Volume in Parts (Ohlone Math Modules, website)

You can show your understanding by writing, recording, making a video, or other way.


Challenge 2: Solution Concentrations

Context
Cameron is the lead of a small team at Cell Growth, Inc. To make sure they can create solutions that keep heart cells alive, the team has to prepare dilutions of very specific volumes. They have to prepare solutions that contain multiple solutes from stock chemicals. 


One small mistake in the calculations can mean the lab gets set back several weeks in terms of making progress with the cell growth. The team practices their dilutions and solutions first.





Resources

Prepare dilutions of a particular volume: Batch Documents (NC Bionetwork)

Perform calculations involving serial dilutions Metric Conversions (NC Bionetwork)

Prepare solutions containing multiple solutes from stock chemicals Scientific Calculations and Basic Lab Techniques (Ty Hoffman)


You can show your understanding by writing, recording, making a video, or other way.


Part 5: Ethics

Challenge 1: Biofabrication in Society

Context
It’s been a long and busy Fall at Cell Growth Inc., and you’re excited to finally fly home to have Thanksgiving with your family. Your dad has heard a lot about your job, but no one else in the family knows exactly what you do: “something in a lab” they say. This will be a great opportunity to shed some light on what you actually do. 


Just as you’re starting to feel excited to tell everyone about the amazing work you’re doing, Uncle Jim walks through the door. Uh oh. Uncle Jim has a bit of a reputation for ruining Thanksgiving dinners. He’s on a 7 year streak.


Just as you fill your mouth with a spoonful of mashed potatoes, you hear Uncle Jim pipe up.


“So, I heard you’re a fancy scientist now. Y’know, I watched a documentary about these labs they have. It all seems like a waste of money. I’m gonna die when I’m gonna die!” 


“And all the animal testing!” shrieks your aunt from the kitchen as she’s getting a second helping of turkey.


Everyone at the dinner table looks to you with concern, waiting for your response. 


Assignment

Justify biofabrication to your family by explaining how biofabrication can help humans. Be sure to also consider the arguments for and against using animals in medical research.



Sentence starters:


Use terms such as:


Here are resources to learn more about ethics: 

“The Ethics of Animal Experimentation”

Stanford University

Web Resource

“Ethical Guidelines for the Use of Animals in Research”

National Research Ethics Committee

Web Resource

“Ethics of Animal Use in Research”

University of Minnesota

Web Resource

“Animals Used for Experimentation”*


*Includes disturbing images of animals


You can show your understanding by writing, recording, making a video, or other way.


Challenge 2: Ethical PPE Disposal

Context
As you’re bagging up the garbage from Thanksgiving, Uncle Jim is pulling out of the driveway in his SUV. Just as you’re starting to wonder why he needs such a large vehicle, he exclaims, “Wow, that’s a lot of garbage! But I guess you’re used to that by now. I heard that some of these labs are the worst polluters when it comes to all those masks and gloves you wear. You must feel kind of bad, huh?” 


Assignment

Describe the process and procedures for appropriately disposing of PPE in a laboratory environment. Also discuss the environmental impact of PPE waste and how it can be reduced or recycled.


Sentence starters:


Use terms such as:


Resources

“The PPE Used Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic is Getting Tangled Up in Wildlife”

“PPE Can Be Recycled to Make Stronger Concrete”

“Disposal of Single-Use PPE”

How to Reduce and Dispose of our PPE Waste More Responsibly”



You can show your understanding by writing, recording, making a video, or other way.