The Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) program at Edison State Community College recently received a $4,962 grant from The Piqua Foundation. The funds were used to purchase molecular testing equipment for the program.
Students are utilizing the equipment to learn how DNA is amplified, separated, and identified in the laboratory. This method is used to identify infectious organisms such as the coronavirus; identify specific genes, such as the gene for sickle cell; and separate proteins for analysis and identification.
“We’re so grateful to be able to make this purchase with The Piqua Foundation’s help,” said Vickie Kirk, Associate Professor of Allied Health and Director of MLT, Phlebotomy, & CLA at Edison State. “We’re providing current technology to students who will soon be helping to provide our health care. It also provides an opportunity to utilize the equipment with high school students to expose them to different health care career fields that they otherwise wouldn’t know existed.”
For more information about the MLT program at Edison State, visit www.edisonohio.edu/programs. Applications for the program are being accepted until November 30, 2022. Apply at www.edisonohio.edu/mltapp.
Photo: Edison State MLT students (front to back) Dina Sharp, Haley Huffman, and Raegen Shaffer learn about molecular testing with recently added equipment.