Most students who enter the first-floor biology lab pass a small office without giving it much thought. The room is lined with laboratory equipment on counters and cabinets, including an autoclave, several incubators and thermocyclers, alongside rows of micropipettes.
In the far right corner, a door leads to a small office. Inside is usually biology teacher Mrs. Kara Cleffi, who, when not teaching Biology I* or one of her two senior electives, works just steps away from the equipment used in her molecular biotechnology course.
Over the past 15 years, Mrs. Cleffi has worked with other members of the science department to develop the laboratory resources necessary for students to conduct biological experiments. The department has gradually expanded its capacity to accommodate more students working in the lab at once.
“The ability for us to have a full 16 kids working on this kind of lab at one time has required us to slowly build up,” Mrs. Cleffi said.
When Mrs. Cleffi first took over the molecular biotechnology course, the existing molecular biology class was not particularly lab-based. With a master’s degree in cell and molecular biology and graduate research experience studying DNA repair, Mrs. Cleffi saw an opportunity to incorporate more of her background into the classroom.
“I wanted to get more molecular biology and biotechnology in the senior electives,” Mrs. Cleffi said. “When I took it over, I made it more of a biotechnology course and really said, ‘This is going to be a lab-based course.’”
The spring semester course begins with students studying developments in biotechnology, including mRNA and CRISPR technologies. They research products developed by leading biotechnology companies, examining how those products function and how they were discovered. As the field continues to change, students and Mrs. Cleffi must keep up with new developments.
“Every year, we start by doing research on what is the latest going on in biotechnology,” Mrs. Cleffi said. “So I’m constantly learning new things every year, as well as doing it alongside students.”
The course then moves from studying other researchers’ work to conducting an experiment of their own. Each student applies the concepts they have studied by carrying out a multi-step genetic research project.
“The second half of the class is spent sequencing a gene—actually going through the process of isolating a gene from a plant organism of their choice and going through the entire process of sequencing that gene,” Mrs. Cleffi said.
Making that kind of work possible in a high school classroom requires equipment that students might not otherwise encounter in their biology courses. The laboratory’s autoclave sterilizes laboratory materials; the multiple incubators and thermocyclers are used in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify DNA. Even the micropipettes cost hundreds of dollars each, making their handling an important part of keeping the lab operational.
“We have to calibrate them, but also, we have to ensure students are taking care of them and using them properly,” Mrs. Cleffi said.
For students seeking course credit through ALRC, the summer experience has to involve more than exposure to laboratory techniques.
Mrs. Cleffi’s work with students also extends beyond the school laboratory. Through the Advanced Laboratory Research Cooperative (ALRC), Mrs. Cleffi helps students find research opportunities at external laboratories, prepare resumes, and apply for internships. Her guidance also extends to students exploring other ways to spend the summer pursuing their interests in science.
“I keep a list of all the possible summer science activities and extracurricular things that students can do, and I help them apply to those things as well,” Mrs. Cleffi said.
For students seeking course credit through ALRC, the summer experience has to involve more than exposure to laboratory techniques. Students must complete at least six weeks of research and contribute to an ongoing project.
Mrs. Cleffi emphasizes the distinction between learning how to work in a lab and actually participating in research.
“You have to be working on an actual project with someone. You can’t just be learning different lab techniques, but have to actually be part of a research project that you can write up,” Mrs. Cleffi said.
The work continues into the fall, when Sixth Formers take a one-semester seminar to analyze their data and prepare to share their findings. The course culminates in the Science Research Symposium, where students present to classmates, faculty, families, and visiting scientists. Because students are balancing their research with other coursework, the program offers flexibility in how they meet with Mrs. Cleffi.
“We set it up like an independent study, so it doesn’t have to be scheduled,” Mrs. Cleffi said. “All I make sure of is that you and I share a free period.”
The science department aims to offer honors courses across its major disciplines, including at least two in biology, though additional electives depend on student interest.
Mrs. Cleffi welcomes the opportunity to expand the biology offerings. “I would love to offer more biology senior electives,” she said.
The thermocyclers, incubators, and micropipettes remain on the counters of Haverford’s biology lab, ready for the next group of students. Just a few steps away, Mrs. Cleffi returns to her computer, continuing to create opportunities for students to explore scientific research of their own.
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