2007/2008 Research Project
The research project for the 2007/2008 WSSP focuses on the genomic analysis of the brine shrimp Artemia fanciscana, and how the genes in this organism compare to other species.

Students in the project will isolate and sequence genes from the Artemia fanciscana. The sequences of these genes has never been determined before and this information will be deposited in the international sequence databases for the students and other scientists to use. Students in the program will compare these sequences with genes from other eukaryotes to determine the evolutionary relationship of these organisms and the sequence conservation of specific genes.

In the course of these studies, students, teachers, and research scientists work together, using the basic principles of molecular biology and genetic engineering to try to solve this research problem. By actually doing science, teachers and students gain an understanding of how science operates.