Skip Navigation

News Blog

Back

Lions Test Dogs and Horses at Vet. Genetics Lab.

April 18, 2017
By Lisa Maki, AP Biology Teacher

Students from the FCHS Advanced Placement Biology class had the amazing opportunity to visit the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at UC Davis on Tuesday, April 4. They walked through the steps an animal's DNA sample would take once it arrived for analysis.

The students learned how horse hair and dog saliva are good sources of genetic information that can be tested for characteristics such as coat color and fur length. Professors demonstrated how the equipment worked, and they explained how to read the results from a genetic test for a dog belonging to one of the students. One of the hands-on activities for the students involved picking the genotype (genetic information) of a puppy and using it to determine the phenotype (what it would look like). The topic of probability also factored into the demonstration.

Students came away with a deeper understanding of genetic testing as well as a greater appreciation for the incredible complexity of God's design in living organisms.