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Oakwood biotech program adds ‘precision protein’ equipment, expands student research
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Summary
Science teacher Heidi Edwards told the Oakwood City School Board that new precision-protein equipment purchased with Oakwood Foundation support and a $700 Parker Love of Teaching award will let students run protein electrophoresis, CRISPR labs and bioinformatics projects; two students are finalists for university research scholarships.
At the February meeting of the Oakwood City School Board, science teacher Heidi Edwards described new “precision protein” laboratory equipment purchased with support from the Oakwood Schools Foundation and a $700 Parker Love of Teaching award that will expand hands-on biotechnology opportunities in AP Biology and the semester-long Biotech class.
Edwards told the board the equipment lets students run vertical protein electrophoresis, isolate and image proteins, and analyze protein content in food samples. “Precision protein sounds like a mouthful. It kinda is a mouthful,” Edwards said, adding that students will use the gear to extract proteins, stain and image bands, and run CRISPR gene‑editing demonstrations that change bacterial fluorescence.
The new equipment supports student research and postsecondary competitions. Edwards said two students, Robert Einhard and Tristan Williams, are finalists for research scholarships at the University of Alabama and could receive full tuition offers tied to laboratory research projects. She also noted recent student placements, including a graduating student who will do biomedical data analysis at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Edwards described professional development and equipment sources that supported the program: Bio‑Rad training in Houston, a CDC ambassador fellowship, and other grants and partner support. She said the Parker Love of Teaching $700 award helped purchase the equipment and that the Oakwood Schools Foundation covered additional costs (amount not specified). “We’ve been able to self sustain and self fund this program,” Edwards said, reporting enrollment of 27 students in Biotech (28 seats available) and 42 students in AP Biology.
The board heard Edwards explain how modern protein tools and online tools such as AlphaFold 2 and Rosetta let students explore protein folding and bioinformatics, connecting classroom labs to contemporary biomedical work. Edwards also described portable student kits and PCR capability that will allow students to amplify and analyze DNA in class.
The presentation highlighted the program’s curricular and career benefits rather than any new district policy or external approval. Board members received Edwards’ update as an informational item; no board action was required or taken on the equipment purchase at the meeting.
Board President Miss Heizer introduced Edwards’ presentation; Oakwood Junior High Principal Tim Badenhoft and Superintendent Dr. Gupta also spoke earlier in the meeting to introduce recognitions and reports.
