Blood Vessels Help Tumors Grow

In this video segment, adapted from NOVA, Dr. Judah Folkman uses the scientific method to discover how cancer cells induce the formation of new blood vessels, which in turn nourish those cancer cells.

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Can We Slow Aging?

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, scientists discuss a family of genes called FOXO that can significantly extend life span in worms—and in humans.

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The Common Genetic Code

Paul Nurse describes his research that showed that humans share some genes with organisms as different from us as simple brewer's yeast. Footage from Secret of Life: "Immortal Thread."

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The Costs and Benefits of Treating Gene Defects

In this video excerpt from NOVA, find out how whole genome sequencing saved the life of Alexis, a fraternal twin who was originally diagnosed with cerebral palsy but, in fact, had an even rarer genetic condition.

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Crime Scene Investigation

This video segment from IdahoPTV's D4K explores the tools and forensic science that crime scene investigators use to collect evidence to help solve crimes, and study animals, archaeology and paleontology.

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The Discovery of Penicillin

This video segment adapted from A Science Odyssey tells the story of researcher Sir Alexander Fleming, whose luck and scientific reasoning led to the groundbreaking discovery of penicillin.

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DNA Detective

In this video from QUEST, learn about the issues of ethics and responsibility that are associated with genetic testing.

DNA Separation Lab in the Classroom and in Real-World Research

This video produced by WGBH features students in the Amgen-Bruce Wallace Biotechnology Lab Program preparing a recombinant DNA molecule, and examines how this work relates to the way real-life scientists approach similar work.

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Electrophoresis and Gel Analysis

In this animation produced by WGBH and Digizyme, Inc., see how molecules of DNA are separated using gel electrophoresis, and how this process enables scientists to compare the molecular variations of two or more DNA samples.

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Eluting Red Fluorescent Protein From the Column

This video produced by WGBH demonstrates how to properly elute a red fluorescent protein after it has been bound in a chromatography column.

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Epigenetics

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, learn how what you eat, drink, or smoke may affect the instructions your epigenomes send to your genes, and as a result, change how your DNA is expressed.

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Ethanol Biofuel

In this video segment adapted from NOVA, learn about one scientist's idea for using biotechnology to make ethanol a more efficient alternative to gasoline.

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The Ethics of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis

In this video excerpt from NOVA, learn about the advantages, disadvantages, and ethical implications of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD, a technique used to screen embryos created through in vitro fertilization for diseases.

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Extracting Mummy DNA

This video segment adapted from NOVA explains how a DNA sample is taken from a 5,000-year-old mummy and what we can learn from it.

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From the Cystic Fibrosis Gene to a Drug

In this video excerpt from NOVA, find out how the discovery of a gene defect has led to the development of a new drug to treat patients with cystic fibrosis.

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Genetically Engineering the Avian Flu

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, learn about a radical biotechnology experiment aimed at figuring out how to stop the avian flu virus.

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Genetic Engineering and Working with DNA

In this animation produced by WGBH and Digizyme, Inc., see how bacterial plasmids are engineered to clone or express genes that code for proteins such as human insulin.

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Growing Bacterial Cultures

This animation produced by WGBH and Digizyme, Inc. demonstrates the techniques researchers use to isolate transformed bacteria and expand their population in order to obtain large quantities of a protein of interest.

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Killer Microbe

Learn how biotechnology is used to analyze the evolution of a formerly harmless bacterium into a highly drug-resistant and lethal pathogen in this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW.

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Loading a Gel

This video produced by WGBH provides step-by-step instructions for loading samples into an agarose gel.

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