SEP Kit Loan Program & Supplies

Kit Loan Program

SEP teachers (those who have participated in the SEP Summer Session Professional Development) have access to the Kit Loan Program developed and maintained by Science Education Partnership (SEP).  Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and other funders provide these kits to teachers, free of cost. Unfortunately, at this time the Kit Loan Program cannot support those who have not completed the 3 week professional development program.

Over 15,000 students use SEP kits and supplies annually in their science classes. Because many students use several different kits during the course of a school year there are approximately 35,000 student-uses annually.

If you are an SEP teacher and want to order a kit scroll down to the Kit Ordering tab below or go to the specific kit page under Kit Descriptions. Info on all the kits can also be found in the SEP Kit List document.


Kit Descriptions

The following kits offer SEP teachers the opportunity to share hands-on laboratory experiences with students in their classrooms, giving students a unique chance to engage in an authentic, problem-solving approach to science using the same tools and concepts utilized by researchers.

Kits contain the equipment and supplies necessary for experiments in DNA gel electrophoresis, bacterial transformation, fruit fly genetics, column chromatography, ELISA, DNA extraction and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Many different model-based kits are also available.

SEP staff are available during school hours to provide advice and technical support for kit use. In addition, scientists from Fred Hutch and the community donate scientific equipment and consumables to SEP, which are then made available to teachers.

Illustration of a gel with run samples

Gel Electrophoresis Kit

This kit supports a series of labs for learning the principles and applications of electrophoresis as a research and diagnostic tool, and contains everything needed for students to perform gel electrophoresis to separate molecules based on size, charge, and shape.

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Illustration of the MiniOne gel electrophoresis system

MiniOne Gel Kit

This kit supports a series of labs for learning the principles and applications of electrophoresis as a research and diagnostic tool, and contains everything needed for students to perform gel electrophoresis to separate molecules based on size, charge, and shape using the MiniOne All in One Gel Electrophoresis system.

Learn More
Illustration of antibodies attaching to an antigen

ELISA Kit

This kit can be used to simulate detection of different viral biomarkers or antibodies using an ELISA assay. The kit also contains models for understanding antibody structure and diversity.

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Illustration of a petri dish with transformed blue E. coli

Transformation Kit

This kit contains everything you need for students to transform E. coli with one of our two plasmids, pBLU or pFLO.

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Illustration of PCR temeraptures

PCR Kit

This kit contains the PCR machines and reagents necessary to run a polymerase chain reaction.

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Image of a micropipette with tips

Micropipette Kit

This kit contains micropipettes of various sizes. Students become proficient measuring and working with very small metric volumes, an essential skill in research laboratories. 

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Illustration of DNA and a microtube

DNA Extraction Kit

This kit contains a wide assortment of reagents and equipment needed for students to create their own  procedure that extracts and visualizes strawberry DNA. 

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Illustration of amino acid side chains

Model Kits

SEP has adapted lessons and teaching tools developed by our colleagues at the Center for Biomolecular Modeling (CBM). These kits cover topics from DNA, serial dilutions, amino acids, and protein folding. 

See All Model Kits
Opened Laptop

Curriculum-based Kits

The Curriculum-Based Kits are made to support specific units and lessons developed by SEP. These kits do not contain any molecular biology equipment or reagents, but they do include modeling materials and lesson supports.

See Kits
Fly

Do-It-Yourself Kits

These kits support assorted lessons and protocols with no explicit SEP-designed lab activities including Private Eye and Fly Genetics.

See Kits

Kit Loan Details

Information on the kits that SEP teachers (those that have participated in the SEP Summer Session Professional Development) can borrow. These are the full kits with the equipment, consumables, and reagents for a classroom of students. Each lab for a kit is designed for 1-5 classes of 32 students. 

This is the current protocol for picking up and dropping off our kits, if the COVID-19 pandemic shifts and Fred Hutch begins restricting visitor access on campus again we will move back to the protocol described in the Remote Learning Teacher Pack section below. 

SEP teachers can use the SEP Kit Loan Program Training Website to refresh their knowledge on the kits and kit sign-up.

SEP Teachers can request kits during our annual Fall Kick-Off (formerly Kit Sign Up) event that is held on the third Saturday of September. Each kit can be loaned out for up to 2 weeks. Kits come with all equipment, reagents, and supplies needed to run our labs. All protocols and curricula can be found on our curriculum website.

 

School Year Kit Requests

SEP Teachers who want to request kits after Fall Kick-Off can still request kits through our School Year Kit Request Forms. Please fill out the form and wait for us to contact you to confirm your kit request. For a refresher on the Kit Loan Program policies and best practices please look through the Kit Loan Program online module (skip the Fall Kick-Off related tab). 

1. Complete Online Demographic Form (only needs to be done once, skip if already filled out) Estimated numbers are OK. A preview of this survey can be found here. 

2. Fill out the School Year Kit Request Form:

ELISA Kit Request Form
Gel Kit Request Form
Transformation Kit Request Form
PCR Kit Request Form
Model Kit Request Form 
DNA Extraction, Micropipette , Private Eye and Fly Kit Request Form
Curriculum-based Kit Request Form (Frontiers Kits, Elephant Trunk, etc)

 

3: Scheduling Email:

Once we have your items scheduled, we will send a preliminary email summarizing your items and dates for pick up and drop off. 

4: Confirmation Email:

AFTER we receive your preferred time slots, we will send out a confirmation email summarizing your request.

SEP offers a Supplies-Only version of many of our lab kits for our teachers that already have the equipment necessary. Supplies-Only contain only the consumable reagents and supplies (tips, tubes, freezer reagents, etc). To order Supplies-Only, fill out the request form below and let us know what reagents/consumables that you need and which you do not. Please give us at least two weeks to process these requests. We will reach out to confirm pick-up dates via email.

If some equipment (PCR machine, heat block, LED light box etc) is needed those can be requested separately for a 2 week loan. 

SUPPLIES-ONLY REQUEST FORMS:
ELISA Supplies Request Form
Gel Supplies Request Form
PCR Supplies Request Form
Bacterial Tx Supplies Request Form
yEvo Supplies Request Form

During business hours (8:00 am - 6:00 pm) teachers can pick up or drop off their materials directly to the SEP Lab (A1-023). To drop off or pick up your kit on a weekday, park your car in the visitor lot of the Thomas building and go to the front desk to receive a SEP badge from the front desk or buzz security to be escorted to SEP. 

In the evening (6:00 pm - 8:00 pm) teachers will need to buzz security at the front entrance and be escorted to SEP to pick up or drop off their materials to the SEP Lab.

Coming after 8:00 pm is highly discouraged but if it is your only opportunity to pick up or drop off your materials, let us know by emailing us at sep@fredhutch.org. You must first email us and let us know the estimated time you will arrive so we can alert Security. Weekends are easier for odd-hour visits because you only need access to the Teaching Lab, but during the week Security may not allow you access unless we let them know to expect you because they will need to meet you at the front entrance and escort you to the SEP Lab. You may need to wait an extended period of time for a guard to meet you.

From 8:00 am - 6:00 pm, teachers can pick up and drop off their materials on the weekend in the Weekend Room (B1-076). If you are scheduled to pick up/drop off on the weekend you can come to pick up/drop off your materials Friday (after 2 pm), Saturday, or Sunday of the weekend you are scheduled to pick up/drop off. To pick up your materials buzz security and have security escort you back to the Weekend Room to pick up/drop off your materials. 

In the evening (6:00 pm - 8:00 pm) teachers will need to buzz security at the front entrance and be let in so that they can access the Weekend Room. 

Coming after 8:00 pm is highly discouraged but if it is your only opportunity to pick up or drop off your materials, let us know by emailing us at sep@fredhutch.org. You must first email us and let us know the estimated time you will arrive so we can alert Security. Weekends are easier for odd-hour visits because you only need access to the Teaching Lab, but during the week Security may not allow you access unless we let them know to expect you because they will need to meet you at the front entrance and escort you to the SEP Lab. You may need to wait an extended period of time for a guard to meet you.

I am due to pick up stuff during a week day. What’s the earliest I can come pick it up?

Your items will be ready after 2:00pm on the scheduled pick up day.

 

I am scheduled to pick stuff up on Saturday. Can I come Sunday?

Yes! For weekend items you can come on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, at any time during the hours listed above.

 

I am scheduled to pick stuff up Sunday. You mean I can come Saturday?

Yes! You can come whichever weekend day is most convenient for you.

 

I forgot to pick up my kit on my scheduled date, what should I do?

Life happens and we understand for some teachers it can be difficult to drive in to Seattle some days. Send us an email and let us know you want your kit. The kit is yours to use for the two-week period reserved for you, even if you are late for pick up.

 

What happens if I don't pick up my kit after a few days?

You will receive an email from us asking if you are still interested in the items. If we do not hear from you we will cancel your items and open them for other teachers to use.

 

I am finished with a kit earlier than I expected, can I drop it off early?

Yes! We really appreciate early drop offs especially during our busy periods. 

 

I forgot to bring back my materials on the return date! What should I do?

Email us (sep@fredhutch.org) or call us (206-667-4487) as soon as possible!

Remember sometimes we only have one day to repack a kit before it is scheduled to go out to the next classroom.

 

Can I have someone other than myself pick up/drop off a kit?

Yes, you can send someone else to pick up your materials. If you are doing so please make sure they know how to get into the building and everything that they are supposed to pick up (kit, freezer box, fridge box, etc). 

The same goes for drop-offs. Please make sure they know how to drop off the materials and to send them with all the materials. 

 

 

Please collect student feedback on labs and lessons via the QR code and short link found here: Student Feedback Shareable Link

Related Pages

Illustration of worksheets and a notebook

SEP Curriculum

Our free, open-source lessons and units are geared towards high school biotech and biology teachers and focus on giving students opportunities to explore biotechnology and the social dimensions of research science.

Learn More
Illustration of a teal folder

SEP Teacher Sharing

We have set up a Google folder for teachers to share resources. 

  • The Google folder contains a several subfolders on SEP kit-related topics shared by SEP teachers. There is also a subfolder on CRISPR resources, videos, and lessons. 
  • Create new folders to add other resources you'd like to share but model the general structure in the CRISPR folder (for example, articles and videos are probably easiest to share in a hyperlinked document and SEP Teacher Lessons in their own folder).
  • Indicate your name on any lessons that you have developed.
Google Folder for Teacher Sharing

For more information or questions contact SEP