Recombinant Gene Technology

450 and 450G,     3 hrs,     Spring 2007,     T, R 2:00-4:55    3109 CEBS

Instructor: Dr. Claire A. Rinehart    Office 121 TCNW, Lab 3112 CEBS, Phones 745-5997(o), 843-9028 (h)

Prerequisites:  Introduction to Molecular Biology (Biol. 220) and Introduction to Recombinant Genetics (Biol. 350 for undergrads) or permission of instructor.

Go To RGT Index

The purpose of this course is to introduce students, both conceptually and through laboratory experiences, to the methodology used in molecular biology.  Attendance is required.

Each Tuesday an assignment will be made that will be due the following Tuesday.  Each assignment is worth 20 points.  Assignments will require students to outline a practical approach to solving a designated problem (15 points).  The remaining 5 points will be given for submission of a brief 1 paragraph abstract on a technique or paper in biotechnology read during the week from one of the trade journals (Biotechniques, Science, Nature, Genetic Engineering News, American Biotechnology Laboratory, Bio/Technology, Promega Notes, USB Comments, BRL Focus, or online techniques center...).  These journals are not to be taken from CEBS for any reason.  Abstracts should contain the title of the article, the names of the authors, the full reference and an abstract written in your own words.

During the semester you will be required to submit proposals for each experiment.  Proposals should contain:  names of group members, date, group number, title, question to be answered or statement of purpose, experimental design (hypothesis) with a list of variables and their ranges (if applicable), detailed methods with reference(s), and a list of materials needed for the experiment.  Materials will not be provided for an experiment until a proposal has been submitted and approved by the instructor.

Each student must submit reports and a poster from their experimental data. The report will be in standard journal style with a title, abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion and references.  Each report will be worth 100 points and should be ~5 pages in length.  The poster will be presented during the final exam. Each student will be required to peer-review papers from another group.  The quality of the review will be graded and will be worth 30 points.  Each student is required to keep an organized notebook so that each lab group will have duplicates of all the data and procedures recorded throughout the semester.  The laboratory notebook will be worth 70 points and each experiment should have a title, written purpose, date, page numbers, methods, reference(s) for methods, data and the date each data was recorded.  All figures, photos and graphs should be properly labeled with a title, date, experiment name/date and the lanes or lines labeled or properly referenced in the data section of the notebook.  Notebooks will be graded in class on May 4 th.

There will be 50 points assigned by the instructor for each student's care of equipment and the cleanliness of their work area.

A comprehensive final exam worth 100 points will be given as scheduled on Monday, May 7, from 1:00 to3:00 PM.  

Graduate students will also be required to write an original short research proposal addressing a biological problem that could be solved using recombinant gene technology (no more than 8 pages). The question must be approved by the instructor and should not be your thesis question.  The proposal must include:  An introduction with a statement of the problem and the relative background (i.e., related literature), a description of the approach to be taken with an OUTLINE of the techniques needed,  a statement of the significance of the work, and a reference section.  Final drafts of these proposals will be due in the instructor's mail box in the main office on April 17 at 8:00 AM.

Point Summary:

Assignments (10 @ 15 points each)                                                          150

Abstracts (10 @ 5 points each)                                                                   50

Peer reviews (1 @30 points each)                                                               30

Reports (1 @ 100 points each)                                                                  100

Poster (1 @ 100 points each)                                                                    100

Notebook    70                                                                                            70

Final Exam                                                                                                100

Laboratory Cleanliness                                                                                50

                                                      Undergraduate Student Total               650

Graduate student Research Proposal                                                         100

                                                                  Graduate Student Total            750

Grades:  A = 90-100%,   B = 80-89.99%,   C = 70-79.99%,   D = 60-69.99%,   F = 0 - 59.99%.

Academic Integrity: it is expected that each student will do his/her own work at all times and contribute equitably in all group projects.

Academic Misconduct - Dishonesty, in any form (cheating on quizzes or exams, plagiarism, copying another's assignment answers, etc.) will result in a failing grade.

"Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services, Room 445, Potter Hall. The OFSDS telephone number is (270) 745-5004 V/TDD. Please DO NOT request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services."


Schedule

Date

Lecture Topic

Assignment

Experiment

Material Due

Jan. 23

Introduction, notebooks,  experimental design, proposals,

Course Info,

Safety

Assignment 1-Experimental Design

Discovery Experiment

Questions and Hypothesis for Discovery Experiment

25

Introduction and Description of experiment 1.

Work on proposal for experiment 1 and meet with instructor.

Assign. 1

30

Lecture topic as needed.

Assignment 2-

Work on proposal for experiment 1 and meet with instructor for proposal approval.

Prepare materials.

Assign.

Feb. 1

"

 

Exp. 1.

 

6

"

Assignment 3-

Exp. 1

Assign. 2 and Abstract

8

"

 

Exp. 1

 

13

"

Assignment 4-

Exp. 1

Assign. 3 and Abstract

15

"

 

Exp. 1

 

20

"

Assignment 5-

Exp. 1

Assign. 4 and Abstract

22

"

 

Exp. 1

 

27

Lecture on Paper Preparation

Prepare Paper

Exp. 1

Assign. 5 and Abstract

Mar 1

"

 

Exp. 1 Finished

 

6

Introduction to Experiment 2

Peer Review of Paper 1

Exp. 2 Work on proposals & meet with instructor

8

Lecture topic as needed.

 Corrected Paper to instructor for review

Exp. 2 Work on proposals & meet with instructor

Corrected Paper to instructor for review. 

20

"

Assignment 6-

Instructor corrections to paper returned

Exp. 2

22

"

 

Exp. 1 Finished

 Paper 1 due

13, 15

Spring Break

 

27

"

 Assignment 7-

Peer review exp. 1 report.

Work on exp. 2

Assign. 6 and Abstract

29

Ò

 

Work on exp. 2

 

Apr 3

Ò

 Assignment 8-

Work on exp. 2

 Assign. 7 and Abstract

5

Ò

 

Work on exp. 2

 

10

Ò

  Assignment 9-

Work on exp. 2

  Assign. 8 and Abstract

12

Ò

 

Work on exp. 2

 

17

"

 Assignment 10-

Work on exp. 2

Assign. 9 and Abstract

19

"

Work on exp. 2

 

24

"

 

Work on exp. 2

 Assign. 10 and Abstract

26

"

Work on exp. 2

May 1

Instruction on Poster format

 

Work on exp. 2

 

May 3

Final exam handed out and explained.

 

Work on exp. 2

Notebook graded by instructor

Notebook due

May 7

Final Exam 1:00 Ð 3:00