Zero to Genetic Engineering Hero™ Book
About the Zero to Genetic Engineering Hero™ Book
Zero to Genetic Engineering Hero:
The beginner's guide to programming bacteria at home, school, & in the makerspace
**See our blog article with in-depth details about the Zero to Genetic Engineering Hero guide book and learning journey**
The world's first beginner's guide to genetic engineering is here! With a combination of real-world, STEM hands-on activities and fundamental concepts, this book has many levels of depth so you can choose how you want to learn. Are you a hands-on or visual learner? Each chapter starts with one (or more) hands-on exercise to get you familiar with the scientific concepts in the chapter. The second half is the "Fundamentals" section, which goes in-deep into the heart of the matter with examples, analogies, colored illustrations, diagrams, all the while linking back to the hands-on exercises, giving you that solid, practical knowledge you can use.
Zero to Genetic Engineering Hero beginner's guide book makes use of Amino Labs' ecosystem of biotechnology experiments so that you can do real scientific exercises at home, in the classroom, or a makerspace. Most importantly, you do not need any prior knowledge of genetic engineering or biology to get started. This fun and engaging hands-on approach to learning genetic engineering is not to disappoint!
If you are not ready to complete the hands-on exercises but want to familiarize yourself, your students, or kids with the fundamental concepts of biotechnology, no problem! Zero to Genetic Engineering Hero is written with many examples and analogies to help explain concepts and includes more than 130 color illustrations and breakout discussions. There are even recommended web searches and videos to guide you on an interactive learning journey. Unlike other textbook options that offer only information, Zero to Genetic Engineering Hero follows a narrative to make the learning journey captivating.
Zero to Genetic Engineering Hero is the most cutting-edge and accessible technical book about genetic engineering and biotechnology. Whether you are looking to learn more about and participate in science fairs, DIYbio, the iGEM or Biodesign competitions, teach middle school and high school students, set up a genetic biohacking lab, or want to see what a biotechnology career could be, and even prepare for university & AP biology, this book can help! Teenagers aged 12-14 edited this book, so we're confident that it is accessible and valuable to beginners of all ages.
“The book, the DNA Playground, Zero to Hero starter kits, and my centrifuge gave me an understanding of what genetic engineering is and how you can program bacteria to make things. It was so exciting that I’m asking my science teacher to start an iGEM team next year that will compete in the High School iGEM league.” Pau, 12-year-old, Washington, DC, USA.
Patricia, a 14-year-old from Markham, Canada, started her Zero to Genetic Engineering Hero journey at age 12 and was recently featured at MIT Media Lab's global biosummit, and on the news for her award-winning science projects. Hear Patricia talk about her work to CBC News here.
Need many books?
Yes, we offer discounts! To get a bulk discount (8 books or more), contact us at info@amino.bio
What will you learn?
Introduction: Take the Genetic Engineers’ Pledge
Chapter 1 - Isolating DNA, the Blueprints of Life:
- extract and see real genomic DNA from strawberries using the DNA extraction kit,
- assemble a DNA structure utilizing a drag and drop simulator,
- discover 'What is DNA?', 'What is DNA's function?', and 'What is DNA made of?',
- learn about the history of DNA, its evolution, the road to precisely editing DNA and its future,
- understand how DNA can be used in biotechnology to create products,
- understand how atoms, molecules, macromolecules (nucleic acid), and nucleotides come into play.
Chapter 2 - Safety & setting up your Genetic Engineering Hero Space
- learn about the 4 Biosafety levels & how to stay safe & responsible during your biotechnology science projects,
- discover the rules & regulations in biotechnology,
- set up your own lab - What type of laboratory equipment is necessary? What kind of locations can be used for a safe & responsible biotechnology lab,
- learn how to inactivate your biotechnology science experiments and clean up your laboratory,
- download a laboratory safety checklist, a biosafety poster, and a biosecurity poster,
- understand the ethics, lab safety & best practices surrounding genetic engineering and biotechnology.
Chapter 3 - Growing E. coli cells
- grow colorful, friendly lab-strain of bacteria and use it to make bioart in a virtual simulator and then in real-life using the Canvas kit (optional hands-on),
- learn the difference between safe laboratory E. coli vs. ‘bad’ E. coli and its history,
- learn 'What is a cell?'
- tour the cell structure using the Cells as (micro) factories analogy - a comparison between factories and cells.
- discover the role of macromolecules: carbs, lipids, proteins
Chapter 4 - Genetic Engineering your E. coli cells
- engineer bacteria (cells) with a pre-made DNA program in a virtual simulator and then in real-life using the Engineer-it kit (optional hands-on),
- learn the primary operating environment of a cell,
- start understanding how cells read DNA: How do cells know how to start, do and stop reading DNA (transcription),
- discover 'What is a gene?'
- find out what DNA plasmids are and how to use them in biotechnology.
Chapter 5 - Extracting your engineered proteins
- extract the proteins created by your engineer bacteria in real-life using the Extract-it kit so that they can be used in the 'real-world' (optional hands-on),
- continue understanding how cells know how to start, do and stop reading RNA (translation),
- discover proteins & enzymes, promoters vs. the ribosomal binding site and the other RNAs (rRNA & tRNA),
- learn and use the RNA to protein cipher.
Chapter 6 - Processing Chemicals with Enzymes
- engineer cells to created small molecules and enzymes to create products like smells and color-changing molecules using the Smell-it kit and the Blue-it kit (optional hands-on),
- learn the basics of enzymatic chemical reactions,
- understand the Four B’s of cell function in action,
- discover protein enzymes as catalysis in cells,
- learn the basic structure of atoms and the four major types of bonds,
- explorer metabolic pathways and how they are used in genetic engineering and biotechnology.
Chapter 7 - Manually turning on genes in situ
- engineer cells or use pre-engineered cells and manually turn on genes using light, chemicals, and heat to understand genetic switched in real-life using the RGB kit, the Induce-it kit and the Heat-it kit (optional hands-on),
- learn the mechanisms of gene expression,
- revise and apply the coding and non-coding regions of genes knowledge from Ch. 4-5,
- explore a DNA plasmid map,
- start setting the stage for you to design your custom DNA plasmids.
See the learning journey map here
What's included?
Storage & Shipping
Shipping Times
Lab equipment and accessories are shipped 1-10 working days after you place your order. If you require yours for a specific date or event, please contact us before or with your order # so that we can try to make it happen for you! ☺︎
Storage
No special storage is needed!
For any questions, don't hesistate to reach out to us - contact us
How to use the book
Another great maker series book
We’ve had the book about a week now, and we’re about half way through all the activities. Definitely worth the purchase price.
We had a lot of fun. My son loved it.
We spent like each day of the Easter school holiday (14 days) working our way through the Extract-It Kit, Smell-It Kit and Blue-It Kit (we ran out of time to also do the Chapter 7 experiments); and we had a lot of fun. My son loved it. He is actually learning the corresponding theory in his Biology class at school, at this very moment (DNA, RNA, amino acids, enzymes,…) so the experiments came very timely! I must commend you with the great detail and clarity with which the instructions and also the Fundamentals sections in the guide book are written: the way you anticipate every possible question our doubt is amazing! The Extract-It kit worked just as expected - nice red color in our final product tube. The Smell-It Kit was great fun although we did not really capture the banana smell at the end. there was definitely a different smell from the plain agar dishes but we didn’t recognize it as a banana smell. The experiment plate and the positive control plate smelled the same.
Amino Labs
Some people find that it does not smell like bananas, but does have a different smell. It's a bit more subtle than a color change, for sure! If your engineered cells (form the e plate) grew when you restreaked them to the smell test, it does mean that the cells had the plasmids in them (otherwise they would not have grown on the antibiotics plate), so it could just be the subtility of the smell. Sorry about that!
We have had successful experiments with every Amino kit. Amino stands behind their products and their customers.
The products are excellent. The experimental protocols are well laid out and easy to understand. We have had successful experiments with every Amino kit. And the Amino people stand behind their products and their customers. All of these were big differentiator from our previous experience in the DIY bio space :) I would say that without Amino products - or Justin and Julie's support, our daughter's passion for science would have gone unnourished. As a neurodiverse student, she struggles in a school system that is not designed for the way her mind is wired. The design of Zero to Genetic Engineering Hero worked perfectly for her - allowing her to get hands on and inspired by the science first, then understand the theory behind the experiment she had accomplished. That book, the Amino kits, and the support she received from Amino allowed her to begin asking her own scientific questions and conducting her own research. Without this experience, I believe school would have pointed her towards languages or the arts based on her marks. The skills and knowledge she developed through her Amino journey are without a doubt the reason she was accepted into life sciences at U of T. The world needs more creatively minded scientists and Amino provided a path for our daughter to begin making her contribution.
We have had successful experiments with every Amino kit. Amino stands behind their products and their customers.
The products are excellent. The experimental protocols are well laid out and easy to understand. We have had successful experiments with every Amino kit. And the Amino people stand behind their products and their customers. All of these were big differentiator from our previous experience in the DIY bio space :) I would say that without Amino products - or Justin and Julie's support, our daughter's passion for science would have gone unnourished. As a neurodiverse student, she struggles in a school system that is not designed for the way her mind is wired. The design of Zero to Genetic Engineering Hero worked perfectly for her - allowing her to get hands on and inspired by the science first, then understand the theory behind the experiment she had accomplished. That book, the Amino kits, and the support she received from Amino allowed her to begin asking her own scientific questions and conducting her own research. Without this experience, I believe school would have pointed her towards languages or the arts based on her marks. The skills and knowledge she developed through her Amino journey are without a doubt the reason she was accepted into life sciences at U of T. The world needs more creatively minded scientists and Amino provided a path for our daughter to begin making her contribution.
The students have absolutely enjoyed every lab
I found you on the internet! I was new to biotechnology and bioengineering/synthetic biology, and I needed a resource and labs that not only my students could do but that I could do with limited prior knowledge and skills in the biotechnology world. This is my 3rd year using Amino Bio Labs. The only thing I would like to see is another book and more labs. I love the real-world, hands-on labs and the support I have been fortunate to have from Justin and Julie! My students love the labs. I do have the students use the virtual simulators. They are perfect to introduce the students to what they will be doing in the labs.
