Immunology Virtual Lab

Topic
Resource Type
Description
This interactive, modular lab explores how the ELISA method can be used to test blood samples for evidence of certain diseases.
The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a laboratory technique that detects and measures specific proteins. It can show whether a patient has antibodies related to certain diseases, making it useful for medical diagnoses. In this lab, students perform a virtual ELISA to test whether a particular antibody is present in a blood sample. Students engage in key science practices, including experimental design and data interpretation.
The lab contains an interactive lab space, an informational notebook, and embedded questions. It also includes supplementary resources, such as a glossary of scientific terms.
The accompanying worksheet provides structure and guidance as students perform the tutorials and experiments in the lab.
The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.
Student Learning Targets
- Explain how testing for antibodies can inform a medical diagnosis.
- Describe the purpose, procedure, and potential limitations of an ELISA.
Estimated Time
Key Terms
antibody, antigen, autoimmune disease, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), humoral immunity, infection, laboratory technique, lupus, screening
Terms of Use
The resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. No rights are granted to use HHMI’s or BioInteractive’s names or logos independent from this Resource or in any derivative works.
Version History
NGSS (2013)
HS-LS1-1; SEP3, SEP6
AP Biology (2019)
IST-3.A, IST-3.B; SP1, SP3
IB Biology (2016)
6.3, 11.1
Common Core (2010)
ELA.RST.9-12.2; ELA.WHST.9-12.9
Vision and Change (2009)
CC2; DP1