Continuing Iowa State’s long history in agriculture, the newly opened Biotechnology Outreach Center is helping students of all ages learn more about cutting-edge issues in agricultural fields.

Two 20-station, state-of-the-art science labs, located in the Molecular Biology building, were opened earlier this month to provide elementary, middle and high school students and industry professionals with hands-on biotechnical training.

Mike Zeller, center coordinator, said the purpose of the labs is to give Iowans the opportunity to learn more about biotechnology, since at least one-third of the state’s economy comes from agriculture.

“[We wanted] to create literate populations in regard to biotechnology,” Zeller said. “Understanding biotechnology is important for everyone. Educated students are a well-trained resource for the industry, and this will help students to find employment in Iowa.”

Zeller said center officials will especially concentrate on hot-button biotech issues such as genetically modified organisms.

“There will be and are many decisions that individuals must make with regard to biotechnology, specifically food safety,” he said. “The center will help combat misconceptions and supply information for good public decisions.”

Melodi Jack, a seventh and eighth grade teacher at Ames Christian School, 1627 South High Ave., recently visited the center with eight of her students.

“The students really enjoyed it; we would have loved to stay all day,” she said. “We got to perform experiments that we could have never done here. We got to use a lot of high-tech equipment.”

Zeller said experiments at the labs are tailored for each particular visiting group. Elementary-age children are taught about the spread of viruses by making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in 20 minutes, while professionals participate in weeklong workshops, he said.

“We have industry professionals that come in for basic training, and we can tap into resources here on campus by bringing in faculty experts,” he said. “Before we had this facility, we brought our presentations to the companies and schools.”

In the case of Jack’s class, the experiment involved DNA and kiwi fruit.

“We took samples of DNA from a kiwi fruit, and in another experiment, we used DNA to solve a crime that they set up for us,” Jack said.

The center has been busy so far, Zeller said, and it looks like it will be even busier in the future.

“On the average, we do educational programs either at the center or at a school twice a week,” he said. “This summer, though, will be really busy. As of now, there are only two open days in June and five in July.”

Biotechnology research is not new to Iowa State, though. Zeller said the outreach program began in 1988, but it was not until 1994 that Iowa State began doing statewide presentations.

“We began talking about a vision for the center in ’97, and a need for it became more evident in the process. Plans were drawn about two years ago, and the funds were gathered last year,” he said.

Zeller said the center was half privately funded while the other half of the money came from the university.

The biotechnology center officially opened its doors Jan. 26, but it was not dedicated until Veishea weekend.

Jack Staloch, vice president of worldwide acidulates at Cargill, Inc., and chairman of the Iowa Biotechnology Association, was at the dedication of the center April 14. Staloch had high praise for the facility.

“This center will provide students and educators new ways to discover opportunities within the rapidly growing and exciting field of biotechnology,” he said.