Teachers should strongly consider getting their students involved in this competition!!!

Background: This is a FREE experimental design competition where students in grades 7-12 propose research projects to be carried out in space. While one winner has their experiment carried out aboard the International Space Station, all contestants learn about current space biology research and engage in the scientific process as they design their experiments.

Genes in Space asks students to design original DNA experiments that address real-life challenges and opportunities in space exploration. In drafting their proposals, contestants must make use of the following: genes in space toolkit, a suite of biotechnology tools available aboard the ISS.

The Toolkit includes:

• Essential molecular biology techniques

  • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

  • BioBits, a cell-free protein expression system.

Competition Ends on April 11, 2022.

*Educators and students visit the resources page on the GENES in SPACE website for more information for the classroom and beyond.