d’Vinci and The Jackson Laboratory Receive SBIR Grant for Online Genomics Literacy Tool

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d’Vinci Interactive, a leading learning technology solutions company, announced today the receipt of a Phase I grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program of the National Institutes of Health.

In collaboration with The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), the “Blueprint of Life” Genomic Literacy Interactive will be the first online classroom resource aimed at middle and high school students and their teachers, that leverages the knowledge gained from the completion of the human genome. The three online educational interactives will be used in biology, computer science, social sciences, and health classrooms, and will bring increased genetic and genomic literacy to students and teachers.

“Sharing genomics content and building STEM engagement with middle school students is essential for younger learners,” commented Charles Wray, Ph.D., vice president for education at JAX. “We are excited to bring our deep genetics and genomic content expertise to the ‘Blueprint of Life: Genomic Literacy Interactive’ as well expand the reach of our Teaching the Genome Generation high school effort which is a new way to teach genetics and genomics through the lens of personalized medicine.”

Students will be able to participate and engage in discussions relative to genetics and genomics in the online learning area of the interactive. In addition, the tools will help educate students so they understand the impact genomics has on their health and will help encourage them to become part of the genetic/genomic workforce.

“The details of genomics can be overwhelming to students, teachers and the general public, but many concepts are well within the capabilities and scope of middle and high school classrooms. It is a subject area with ever-increasing relevance to everyday life,” said d’Vinci COO Mason Scuderi.

The pilot phase I modules for the “Blueprint of Life” Genomic Literacy Interactive will becomplete by late spring 2020.The mission of the SBIR program is to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of Federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy.

About The Jackson Laboratory:

The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution with more than 2,200 employees. Headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine, it has a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center, a genomic medicine institute in Farmington, Conn., and facilities in Ellsworth, Maine, Sacramento, Calif., and Shanghai, China. Its mission is to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health. For more information, please visit www.jax.org.

About d’Vinci Interactive:

d’Vinci Interactive is learning technology company that partners with leading organizations to create interactive learning experiences, educational games, and websites that integrate into school curricula. d’Vinci holds longstanding partner relationships with National Geographic, PBS LearningMedia, Discovery Education and the National Institutes of Health. The d’Vinci team consists of talented educational strategists, instructional designers, digital artists and web developers, with offices in Hagerstown, Maryland and Harrisburg, PA. For more information about d’Vinci Interactive, please visit www.dvinci.com.