The Senior Research class offered by the Biotechnology Laboratory provides Jefferson's seniors with the opportunity to design and conduct their own experimental research projects under the guidance of the lab instructor.  Students are encouraged to seek additional advice and information from other teachers and professional researchers.  In the process, they experience the flow of a professional research effort.  They read original research reports and have the opportunity to communicate with scientists by mail and/or the Internet to obtain advice, experiment ideas, protocols, and materials.

Students work directly on the system or organism of interest or they may choose to study a model system or investigate a specific biological problem.  Those seniors interested in similar problems or topics are encouraged to form research teams.

Examples of topics or areas of interest include the following:  animal tissue culture; apoptosis and aging; gene therapy; protein analysis; bioremediation; bacterial and plant transformation; muscle physiology; and recombinant DNA technology.

The prerequisite for the Senior Research class includes any one of the numerous chemistry, biology, or technology electives offered by TJHSST (e.g., Advanced Placement Biology).  However, DNA Science I -- and perhaps DNA Science II -- is highly recommended for greatest success.