Can Mosquitos Carry HIV between Primates?

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Purpose

To learn how to design an experiment; to apply the scientific method to a complex scientific problem.

Materials

• pen
• notebook paper
• your mind

Background Information

Imagine the scenario: Mr. Hook is president of the prestigious Kealing University at Austin, Texas, and the year is 1984. You are a Ph.D. researcher and have been hand selected by President Hook to sit on a research team representing your academic area. Each lab table represents the 6 different research groups/academic areas.

• Lab Group #1 is the Primatology Dept.
• Lab Group #2 is the Genetics Dept.
• Lab Group #3 is the Microbiology Dept.
• Lab Group #4 is the Virology Dept.
• Lab Group #5 is the Entomology Dept.
• Lab Group #6 is the Infectious Disease Dept.

Kealing University has received a federal grant of $3,000,000 dollars from Centers of Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. CDC wants the University to conduct scientific research to answer the question: "Can mosquitoes carry the Human Immumodeficiency Virus (HIV) from an infected human to an human who is not infected with HIV?" The University president must decide which academic department will do the research and receive the $3,000,000 grant. To help make the decision as to who will do the research, Mr. Hook has requested that each department submit its plan for the experiment that they will use to test its hypothesis.

Good luck, your competition is tough. Only the best plans will be used and will receive full credit for the lab.

Procedure

1. The recorder should properly head one paper with all group members' names and their job title. TITLE the paper and copy the PURPOSE.
2. The following list is the resources, supplies, and organisms you will be working with. All academic departments will be designing their experiment using the same list. You may not add anything to the list without the instructor permission. Underneath the PURPOSE, write a subtitle, MATERIALS, on your lab write-up, and copy the list.
   • 2 identical, empty rooms (30m x 40m) with air-tight doors and windows
   • 200 primates (180 are HIV negative, 20 are HIV positive)
   • 200 identical cages, including water and feed bowls
   • 400 female mosquitoes
   • Grade A primate food, "Monkey Chow", served daliy at Kealing cafeteria
   • Water
   • 400 HIV tests
3. Your group task is to design an experiment that will answer the CDC original question, "Can mosquitoes carry the Human Immumodeficiency Virus (HIV) from an infected human to an human who is not infected with HIV?" You can use only the items listed above. Start by first discussing different ways of setting up the experiment. The recorder should record the different ideas on a scratch sheet of paper. After every group member has expressed their ideas about the design of the experiment, the group should decide on the best plan for the experiment. Ask yourself, "Is the experiment valid?" (Again, a valid experiment is an experiment that could be repeated by anyone and the same results would be obtained.)
4. It is now time to write out your experiment. Use the following steps of the scientific method as a guide for your experiment write-up. Be sure to give each part of the experiment write-up a correct subtitle (e.g., PROBLEM, HYPOTHESIS, ETC).
   • State the problem.
   • Gather more information.
   • State your hypothesis.
   • Design and perform an experiment.
   • Analyze the results. (Your instructor will provide you with your group's data.)
   • State your conclusion.

NOTE: Be sure to write your experimental procedure with enough detail that your instructor could repeat your experiment. Also state your independent variable, dependent variable, constants and control in your procedure.