The Biology Department at Bethlehem University, particularly the Medical Laboratory Science major, is dedicated to advancing diagnostic methods for genetic diseases and pathogens.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used in laboratories for its high accuracy and sensitivity within a short time making it a crucial technique in research and diagnostics.
The students in the laboratory of the diagnostic hematology have performed a sickle cell disease (SCD) screening test for a family using PCR technique and visualized the amplificated DNA segment using agarose gel electrophoresis. The results shown in the below figure point out that the father and the mother are carriers for SCD (heterozygous HbAS), the son is affected (homozygous HbSS) and the daughter is normal (HbAA).
2. Several species of Candida isolated from students in the “Medical Laboratory Sciences” major, were differentiated using chromagar based on color differences. To our knowledge, this method is being used for the first time in such academic programs in Palestine.
