Students will learn theory and techniques applicable in the field of biotechnology.  Media and solution preparation, use of analytical equipment, and laboratory safety will be covered. Various RNA and DNA techniques, gene expression and purification, and bioinformatics will be included.    Lecture: 2 hours; Laboratory 2 hours.

Integrated components: Lecture: 2 hours (30 contact hours); Laboratory 2 hours (60 contact hours)

One semester of college biology with lab and one semester college chemistry with lab. 

Competencies:

Upon completion of this course, the student can:

1.      Consistently and effectively follow all lab safety rules.

2.      Calculate and make up solutions/dilutions.

3.      Practice proper aseptic technique.

4.      Keep a scientific notebook and maintain adequate records of experiments.

5.      Demonstrate proper and routine use, maintenance, and troubleshooting laboratory equipment and basic apparatus.

6.      Correctly follow SOPs and other written procedures for performance of laboratory experiments.

7.      Demonstrate scientific honesty and personal responsibility.

 Outline

I.                    Lab safety

A.      General lab safety rules including proper lab procedures

B.     Identify location and understand use of safety equipment in laboratory

II.                 Media and solution preparation

A.     Follow SOP to prepare culture media and solutions

B.     Properly use pH meter and other required equipment  in solution preparation

C.     Maintain batch records according to GMP

III.               Aseptic technique

A.     Proper disinfection and cleaning of workspace and equipment

B.     Streaking plates for isolation

C.     Maintaining sterility in broth

D.     Understanding and demonstrating knowledge of necessity of aseptic technique

IV.              Scientific notebook

A.     Proper documentation of all experimentation

B.     Following GMP rules for recording and editing information

V.                 Equipment and apparatus usage

A.     Demonstrate proficiency using basic laboratory apparatus

B.     Operation and troubleshooting of equipment used in experimentation.

C.     Obtaining information regarding pieces of equipment

VI.              SOPs

A.     Purpose of SOPs

B.     Correctly following SOPs to conduct experiments

C.     Writing SOPs

D.     SOPs and GMP

VII.            Personal Responsibility

A.     Scientific honesty

B.     Personal integrity

C.     Responsibility in the laboratory

Experiments/activities

1. Introduction and laboratory safety

2. GMPs and SOPs

3. Media and solution calculations and preparation

4. Pipetting exercises and Aseptic techniques

5. Bacterial culture techniques

6. Restriction enzymes and analysis

7. Agarose gel electrophoresis

8. Restriction enzymes and DNA ligation

9. Transformation experiment

10. Plasmid minipreps

11. DNA isolation

12. DNA quantitation

13. PCR

14. DNA sequence theory and bioinformatics