Association for Biology Laboratory Education

Testing Hypothesis of Aging in the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
 

Pliny A. Smith

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2013, Volume 34

Abstract

A common characteristic of many, if not all metazoans, is aging. Countless evolutionary, molecular, and genetic mechanisms have been described that account for aging of creatures as diverse as yeast and man. This laboratory will put some of these factors to the test; participants will develop a hypothesis that explains the interactions between genes and the environment, and design and implement an experiment to test the hypothesis. Students design controlled experiments using the model organisms C. elegans that include variables of environment, food, or genetic background. After completing the experiment, students analyze their data and write a research article-style report.

Keywords:  genetics, hypothesis, nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, aging, lifespan, longevity

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (2012)