Key Stage: KS4/5

Experiment: Genetics
Duration: 2 Sessions each lasting approximately 1.5-2 hours
Description: We can provide a two-session visit to perform a simple cross using the organism Drosophila melanogaster.

Visit 1: a talk on genetics, the process of meiosis and the nomenclature used. A discussion of the history and sexual behaviour of flies and why they have been so fundamental. Flies are then sexed, sorted into males and females, under the dissecting microscope – before being placed in mating vials. These are returned to the University and incubated for two weeks.

Visit 2: flies are returned to the students for counting. Crosses can be organised to show effects of sex linkage of genes or recombination between genes.

Drosophila melanogaster

Drosophila in a vial