By STEVE FREKER
MALDEN — More than 1,000 local high school students in Malden and Medford have benefited from a unique partnership pairing them with Tufts University staff and students to study genetics.
The students will participate in Tufts University’s Bioinformatics Inquiry through Sequencing (BioSeq) program with part of the program paid for by a $100,000 grant from the Cummings Foundation.
“We’re very grateful for Cummings Foundation’s generosity and its continued commitment to both Tufts University and the goal of enhancing STEM education for young students from our local communities,” said Matthew Fierman, Ph.D., BioSeq’s program administrator.
BioSeq uses an interactive curriculum to explain genetic science and prepare students for research careers and enhancing understanding of how genetics work can shape and save lives.
The BioSeq program is part of Tufts and Cummings Foundation’s legacy of support for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education opportunities for students in greater Boston.
Founded with funding from the National Institutes of Health Science Education Partnership Award and now in its fifth year, BioSeq has reached many students in Medford, Malden and Somerville schools.
Until recently, genetic sequencing was labor-intensive, slow and expensive. Thanks to next-generation sequencing, however, scientists are employing new tools to gather genetic data and to draw meaningful conclusions on how the data can push the boundaries of medical knowledge and bring the promise of personalized medicine closer to reality.
Despite these tremendous advances, genetic science technology is largely out of the reach of the high school audience.
“Because of the Cummings Foundation’s support, students will have opportunities to learn by asking and answering their own questions about genetics,” Fierman said.
