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VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Biology => Topic started by: mandy on August 13, 2009, 10:41:46 pm

Title: GTAC
Post by: mandy on August 13, 2009, 10:41:46 pm
Gene Technology Access Centre

Has anyone been there? We're going there next Wednesday, the 19th. Apparently, we're doing two SACs/pracs. We're working with DNA and genes :D

If anybody's been, can you tell me what GTAC is like ?
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: polky on August 13, 2009, 11:00:33 pm
All I remember is that one of the lecturers/speakers there will give out GTAC badges if you answer questions correctly!

Also the pracs are pretty fun! Biology at work!
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: shinny on August 13, 2009, 11:03:20 pm
All I remember is that one of the lecturers/speakers there will give out GTAC badges if you answer questions correctly!

I got one of those! It's still locked away in my secret drawer of awesomeness and I still treasure it with all my heart.

Anyway, it's a pretty modern building and you'll do some pretty neat stuff like genetic modify some bacteria to be antibiotic resistant (hopefully). I say hopefully because we took our uber-bacteria back to school for our SAC prac and they all ended up dying from the antibiotic they were apparently resistant to.
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: Toothpaste on August 13, 2009, 11:25:35 pm
I did the DNA stuff and bacteria growing at CSIRO instead ... no prizes/badges (AND OUR BACTERIA THAT WE BROUGHT BACK DIDN'T GROW AT ALL). Screw you CSIRO.
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: cns1511 on August 13, 2009, 11:38:58 pm
I went to GTAC last week. I got one of the badges too for answering a question right.
You are probably doing an electrophoresis of Lambda DNA for the first SAC/Prac and dihybrid cross of these really ugly corns for the second.
They basically give you all the answers for the SAC's except any extra questions that your teacher might give you.
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: mandy on August 14, 2009, 08:55:49 pm
OH BADGES?

I went to GTAC last week. I got one of the badges too for answering a question right.
You are probably doing an electrophoresis of Lambda DNA for the first SAC/Prac and dihybrid cross of these really ugly corns for the second.
They basically give you all the answers for the SAC's except any extra questions that your teacher might give you.

And yes! We are doing the (ugly) corn prac, lol. Do they really give all the answers ?! Now, I can't wait to go on this excursion. Badges AND answers :)
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: physics on August 14, 2009, 09:03:26 pm
BADGES :O i want some
but sadly the teahcer said that nobody is having sacs outta school and bio 3&4 has no excursions sadly.
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: mandy on August 14, 2009, 09:07:17 pm
BADGES :O i want some
but sadly the teahcer said that nobody is having sacs outta school and bio 3&4 has no excursions sadly.

Yeah, I think we've only got this one. Then, thats it.
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: minilunchbox on August 15, 2009, 12:58:05 am
Our class has been there twice this year and we're going there at least twice more. (lol I'm pretty sure our school goes there the most per year) I think I'm doing the same 2 SACs as you, but on Thursday instead.

Anyway, the last two times I went, they would start with a lecture of sorts (you're either with your class or you're joined with another school) and a person would talk to us for an hour or two and pretty much go over what we've been doing in class so you're pretty safe even if you haven't studied for your SAC. There's been at least one person who's fallen asleep and the lecturer always notices lol. Then there's more explaining about the prac/sac and we get assigned a postgrad bio student so they know what they're doing. It's pretty fun and easy since they tell you all the answers. And yeah, you get pretty kickass GTAC badges for answering questions so speak up :)
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: mandy on August 15, 2009, 10:09:14 pm
HAHA, I'll be speaking up alright.

So are the SACs actually done at GTAC? Or taken back to school to be done :S
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: minilunchbox on August 15, 2009, 11:13:29 pm
The booklet at GTAC which has questions that you answer about the experiment is pretty much your SAC and it's all done there (you're given all the answers as well because you work through it in your mini-group). But back at school, your teacher might give you other questions which aren't directly related to GTAC that you do in class for authentication.
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: mandy on August 15, 2009, 11:16:29 pm
Oh, I see how it works now. Cos I was kinda confused before. Seeing as the answers are all given, everyone would be getting full marks, lol.
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: paulii on August 16, 2009, 02:36:16 pm
i just went to gtact on the friday that just passed -

basically did everything CNS1511 has already said -

I went to GTAC last week. I got one of the badges too for answering a question right.
You are probably doing an electrophoresis of Lambda DNA for the first SAC/Prac and dihybrid cross of these really ugly corns for the second.
They basically give you all the answers for the SAC's except any extra questions that your teacher might give you.

I didnt understand a single word of bio helper teacher. She had a a very strong indian accent and my entire group by the end of it was pretty frustrated with her. and then she was getting angry with me because i didnt understand - :|
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: cns1511 on August 16, 2009, 03:50:59 pm
i just went to gtact on the friday that just passed -

basically did everything CNS1511 has already said -

I went to GTAC last week. I got one of the badges too for answering a question right.
You are probably doing an electrophoresis of Lambda DNA for the first SAC/Prac and dihybrid cross of these really ugly corns for the second.
They basically give you all the answers for the SAC's except any extra questions that your teacher might give you.

I didnt understand a single word of bio helper teacher. She had a a very strong indian accent and my entire group by the end of it was pretty frustrated with her. and then she was getting angry with me because i didnt understand - :|

Yeah, I had someone who I think might have been Russian. She didn't know what we were asking half the time, but we still got the answers done.

Have any schools done additional questions to the GTAC booklets?
Title: Re: GTAC
Post by: mandy on August 27, 2009, 09:19:13 pm
hello hello, we did the two sacs today for biol after going to GTAC, and we get some time on monday also. have you guys done the sacs yet?
i had a question that i couldn't think of an answer for:

What is the advantage of comparing fragments from different restriction enzymes? What can they tell you?

Anyone know ?