Genetic Engineering with Dr. Zimring

RENAISSANCE SCHOOL’S GENETIC ENGINEERING CLASS CO-TAUGHT BY UVA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE THOMAS W. TILLACK PROFESSOR OF EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY

Synthetic Biology, a college-level science class at Renaissance School, looks into the technical and moral implications of genetic engineering.  Students design gene editing experiments, conducted using tools like CRISPR, in order to solve real-world problems such as neutralizing toxic algae blooms, or overcoming disease antibiotic resistance.

Renaissance School began offering Synthetic Biology in 2013. Program Faculty Anna Minutella remarked that she “love[s] that the curriculum changes every year to keep up with current research. I’m now teaching stuff that wasn’t even known when I graduated from UVA in ‘07 – that’s exciting! The kids also love that we explore the ethics of this dynamic science.” Students at Renaissance School visit leading laboratories at UVA, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and Johns Hopkins to see what university-level research looks like – and sometimes, the professors come to them.

High School Class Co-Taught by UVA Professor Dr. James Zimring

Dr. Zimring is the Thomas W. Tillack Professor of Experimental Pathology at the UVA School of Medicine. Utilizing his book What Science Is and How It Really Works, Dr. Zimring has been co-teaching the 2024-25 Synthetic Biology class to examine the philosophical and epistemological foundations of the scientific method. “Research clearly shows that advanced high school students are strongly motivated by real-world connections,” said Renaissance School Dean Bethany Farris. “Interacting directly with professionals like Dr. Zimring is a great source of inspiration for future study and work aspirations.”

“Synthetic Biology can be a controversial topic, but not for Renaissance School’s DNA science class. Our class… spent the school year studying DNA, the body’s genetic instructions, and how we could manipulate DNA to solve real problems.” Thus shared Dr. Emily Avakian ’13, at the time a Renaissance School senior, and now a faculty member herself.