Cancer medicine (chemotherapy) often makes people sick. It can attack all parts of a person’s body and not just cancer cells. Scientists try many ways to fight cancer and keep other cells healthy. One method is to make a “container” for the medicine out of DNA origami. The DNA structure can find a cancer cell and deliver the medicine directly to the cancer, rather than having powerful medicine all through a person’s body.
The student handout will be given to all students working on the design challenge. It gives a brief recap of the story, it helps the students identify what they are attempting to achieve, and it recaps the design process.
DNA Origami Carrying Chemotherapy TEK8 Instructor’s Guide
This Instructor’s Guide provides the instructor additional information on how to run the design challenge with alternatives for materials and test setups as well as information to help make the design challenge a good educational experience.
The Telling the Story Video conveys the societal impact of the student’s research that is the basis for the design challenge and will set the problem-solving context for students.
The Design Challenge Video leads students through the design process. It indicates materials available, states what the criteria are for success and any constraints. It also gives a second ‘level’ of the design challenge that allows ‘early completers’ to move on to a slightly more difficult challenge.
The presentation can be used in conjunction or in place of the Design Challenge Video.