Professional Development Workshop (April 23-28, 2009) We select 24 teachers per year to train, here on the MBL campus, in discovery-based science on Wolbachia endosymbionts in their local insect fauna - in an environment that fosters close interactions with leading research scientists and other teachers. Basic topics and lesson plans cover Field Work, Insect Biodiversity, Endosymbiotic Bacteria (Wolbachia), DNA extraction, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Gel Electrophoresis, DNA Sequencing, Bioinformatics, and Phylogenetics. Call for Applications to Discover the Microbes Within! The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), with support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), is offering a professional development workshop in science education for high school teachers, Grades 9-12 - Discover the Microbes Within! The Wolbachia Project. Join scientists at one of the nation's prominent biology institutions in Cape Cod, Massachusetts for a three day workshop that integrates inquiry, discovery, and biology into classroom labs and lesson plans. This workshop is designed to empower high school biology teachers grades 9-12 with an understanding of contemporary research: what is being learned and how it is learned. The objectives are (i) to provide discovery-based, contemporary science content (ii) to supply year round technical assistance and intellectual support for participants through teacher-scientist partnerships, site-based partnerships between the MBL and school districts, and among local schools forming a geographic nexus and (iii) to immerse selected teacher participants in summer "envisionships" in a Wolbachia scientist's laboratory. The application for the 2009 workshop will be available in the winter. What is Wolbachia? Wolbachia is a genus of bacteria that infect arthropods. The symptoms of infection vary between host species, but include a skewing of the sex ratio of offspring from infected organisms toward females. Although the extent of the infection of arthropods by Wolbachia is unknown, it has been found infecting a wide variety of organisms and in a wide range of geographic areas. During the workshop, held on MBL's campus, participants will identify arthropod samples or bring samples from their local insect fauna. We will use molecular methods (PCR) to detect Wolbachia infections in the collected specimens. We will then sequence the infecting Wolbachia 16S rDNA amplified by PCR and conduct bioinformatic analyses. Using these sequences, we will construct a phylogenic tree of the bacteria. You will develop the labs in your classroom to become part of a national network of high school students contributing to a single research effort. What will happen during the "Discover the Microbes Within" Program? The goal of the project is to establish partnerships between scientists and teachers in ways that stimulate student creativity, analytical thinking, and performance in real-world research. The project calls on resident scientists from the Woods Hole community and visiting scientists to present background information and current research developments on topics related to symbiotic microbes in insects. Teachers will engage in hands-on activities to study the diverse ways that bacteria evolve and symbiotically interact with other forms of life in an environment that promises close interactions with leading research scientists and other teachers. The workshop paradigm is that students naturally want to learn science as it is practiced. This process will enhance their skills in inquiry, increase understanding of what a scientist does, and contribute to new scientific discoveries. Topics will cover Insect Collection, Insect Biodiversity, the Symbiotic Bacteria that live within insects, DNA extraction, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Gel Electrophoresis, and Bioinformatics. Costs Lodging, meals, and all education materials will be covered; lodging and meals will be on the MBL campus. Participants should make every effort to secure their own funding for travel. In the event that travel support is not available, we can support travel for a limited group of teachers. For more information, contact Program Coordinator Michele Bahr (508-289-7726). Arrival will occur Thursday evening and departures will occur Sunday afternoon.