Biotechniques

 (BIOL  410)  
Fall  2015  -­‐  Syllabus  
 
I.    Course  Description:    
Biotechniques  will  teach  you  common  laboratory  techniques  that  are  frequently  used  in  
research,  medical/clinical,  and  bio  industry  fields.    This  course  will  also  discuss  research  
methods,  analysis  methods,  and  organizational  best  practices.    We  will  begin  our  semester  
discussing  research  methods,  move  on  to  standard  assays  for  identifying  and  isolating  
molecules,  and  then  finish  with  advanced  methods  to  identify  and  manipulate  DNA.  This  
course  will  also  provide  hands-­‐on  experience  with  moldel  organisms,  including:  Escherichia  
coli,  Danio  reiro,  Drisophilla  melanogaster,  and  Gallus  gallus,  and  Homo  sapien.
 
Instructor:  Justin  Golub,  Ph.D.     Office:  Center  for  Science  &  Innovation  208A    
Office  Phone:  413-­‐662-­‐5153   Office  Hours:  M  9:00  –  11:00AM  
Email:  j.golub@mcla.edu          W  2:00  -­‐  3:00  PM    
Twitter:  @jgolubmcla          Or  By  Appointment.  (See  course  policies)  
 
Class  Meeting:    T,  Th  9:30  AM  –  12:15  PM,  Center  for  Science  &  Innovation,  Rm.  217  
 
Lecture  readings  can  be  found  in:  Biotechniques  :  Theory  &  Practice  by  S.V.S  Rana;  3nd  
ed.  (on  Canvas).    Additional  readings  will  be  provided  electronically  on  Canvas.
 
II.    Lecture  Schedule:  
 
Suggested
Date Topics Assignment
Readings
Week
3-Sep Introduction & Lab Safety 3, 28 & 29
1
Assay Methodology: Asking all the
8-Sep 26 & 27
Week right questions
2
10-Sep Field sampling 1

Proper Lab Technique:

15-Sep Organization Sterilization, 28
Week Cleanliness, & Organization
3
Proper Lab Technique II:
17-Sep
Conversions, Analytics, & Ethics
Laboratory maintenance of Sampling Methodology
22-Sep
Week organisms (Animal Handling) & Sterilization Report
4 Laboratory maintenance of
24-Sep TBA
organisms II (Bacterial Plating)

29-Sep Fixation & Histology 4

Week
5
1-Oct Microscopy: Light & Dark Field 6

Introduction  to  Biology  –  Syllabus     MCLA   1  

Fall  2015     J.  Golub  
 Microscopy II: Florescence & Fixation & Histology
6-Oct
Week Electron Report Due
6
8-Oct Tissue Culture 7

13-Oct Centrifugation Microscopy Report Due

Week
7 Spectrophotometry & Paper
15-Oct 8&9
Chromatography
Spectrophotometry & Paper Tissue Culture Report
20-Oct 10 & 11
Week Chromatography II Due
8
22-Oct Column Chromatography 12

Centrifugation Report
27-Oct DNA Extraction
Week Due
9
29-Oct DNA Electrophoresis 13

Spectrophotometry &
3-Nov Protein Electrophoresis TBD Chromatography
Week Report Due
10
5-Nov Western Blotting

Research Proposal
10-Nov Polymerase Chain Reaction 14
Week Outline Due
11
12-Nov Polymerase Chain Reaction II

DNA & Protein

17-Nov Ligation (Plasmid Construction) TBD Electrophoresis Report
Week Due
12
19-Nov Cloning (Heat Shock Poration) I

24-Nov Cloning (Heat Shock Poration) II PCR Report Due

Week
13 Thanksgiving break - No
26-Nov
classes
Gene transfer, Plasmid,
1-Dec Immunoassay 15
Week & Poration Report Due
14
3-Dec Bioinformatics I TBD

8-Dec Bioinformatics II TBD

Week
15 Oral Research Proposal
10-Dec Project Proposals
Due
Written Research
Final TBD No Final Exam
Proposal Due
*  Lecture  schedule  is  subject  to  change  
 
 
 

Introduction  to  Biology  –  Syllabus     MCLA   2  

Fall  2015     J.  Golub  
III.    Grades  
 
To  pass  this  course  you  must  submit  all  
written  assignments.    There  will  be  no   Grades:   A:    93-­‐100%   A-­‐:    90-­‐92%  
examinations  for  this  course  and  your   B+:    86-­‐89%   B:    83-­‐85%   B-­‐:    80-­‐82%  
grade  will  be  evaluated  on  your   C+:     76-­‐79%   C:     73-­‐75%   C-­‐:    70-­‐72%  
written  work  and  in  class  effort.       D+:    66-­‐69%   D:    63-­‐65%   D-­‐:    60-­‐62%  
  F:     <60%  
Your  Grade  will  be  based  on  700  points:      
  360  Points     9  Experimental  Reports  (40  Points  each)  
  40  Points     Research  Proposal  Outline  
  50  Points     Research  Proposal  Presentations  
  150  Points     Written  Project  Proposal  
  50  Points     Attendance  
  50  Points     Participation  
 
  Because  this  is  a  laboratory-­‐based  course  it  is  imperative  you  keep  good  notes  as  
these  will  be  your  guide  when  writing  your  experimental  summaries.    We  will  discuss,  in  
class,  other  important  aspects  of  keeping  organized  records  of  your  work.    Therefore  I  
recommend  you  purchase  a  lab  notebook  or  binder  to  keep  your  experimental  records  in    
order.    I  personally  prefer  marble  composition  notebooks,  mostly  because  you  cannot  loose  
or  easily  remove  pages,  as  is  common  with  three  ring  binders  or  spiral  bound  notebooks.    
You  should  bring  your  lab  notebook  to  every  class  meeting.    I  do  not  expect  to  collect  your  
notebooks,  but  reserve  the  right  to  do  so,  if  necessary.  
 

Introduction  to  Biology  –  Syllabus     MCLA   3  

Fall  2015     J.  Golub