Course Outline
[ Bio 651 Advanced Biotechnology]
First Semester 2009
Department: Biological Sciences, Yarmouk University
Credit hours: 3 (2 Lecture Hrs, 1 lab. Hr)
Instructor: Dr. Emad Malkawi
Ph.D (Microbiology & Molecular Biology).
Office hours: Tuesday 11:00 am-1:00. Also by appointment
Course Objectives: it is expected that the students will demonstrate:
-
A mastery of terminology, concepts and understand thoroughly the basic
molecular and genetic techniques and approaches that form the base for
the large variety of further development and applications that fall under the
Umbrella of Biotechnology. Topics covered will be: fundamental aspects
and importance of biotechnology to mankind, central dogma of molecular
biology, principles of Recombinant DNA technology, applications of
microorganisms in industry, environment, agriculture and biomedical
fields, the application of Recombinant DNA technology in plant and
animal biotechnology, biotechnology products and biotechnology
techniques, the importance of transgenic Plants, Bacteria and Animals,
bioinformatics and it importance for analysis of data related to
biotechnological applications, patenting of biotechnology inventions, and
nanobiotechnology.
- Facility in the practice of basic biotechnology techniques, and application
of such techniques to their particular area of interests and study.
- Ability to research and discuss ethical, legal, societal implications of
biotechnology.
- Reading original research papers and specialized reviews and websites as
source materials. The topics covered are necessarily subjectively chosen,
and acquiring the ability to learn through professional journals will allow
students to pursue their own specific intrests.
Course Outline
Topic
1. Fundamentals of molecular biotechnology
- Definition and history of biotechnology.
- Recombinant DNA Technology.
- Central Dogma of molecular biology (from gene to protein).
- Directed mutagenesis & protein engineering
2. Microbial biotechnology and systems:
- Microbial synthesis of commercial products.
- Molecular diagnostics.
- Vaccines and therapeutic agents.
- Bioremediation and biomass use.
- Plant growth – promoting bacteria.
- Microbial insecticides.
1
# weeks
4
7
- Large – scale production of proteins from recombinant
microorganisms.
- Biofuel and oil recovery
3. Eukaryotic systems:
- Genetic engineering of plants and GMOs.
- Development and use of transgenic animals
- Human Genome and its applications.
- Stem cells & Gene therapy
4. Regulating and patenting molecular biotechnology:
- Regulating the use of Biotechnology
- Patenting biotechnology inventions
5. Introduction to Bioinformatics
6. Nanobiotechnology and its applications
4
1
1
1
References & Reading materials
1. Daugherty, Allyn. 2008. Biotechnology, Science for the new Millennium.
EMC Publishing.
2. Barnum, S., R. 2005. Biotechnology, An introduction, 2nd ed. Thomson
Learning/Thomson Brooks/Cole USA. (http://www.biology.brookscole.com)
3. Bourgaize, Jewell of Buiser. (2000), Biotechnology, Addison Wesley
longman, inc.
4. Primose, S.B. (1991), Molecular Biotechnology, 2nd Edn, Blackwell
Scientific pullications.
5. Ellyn Daugherty. (2005) BIOTECHNOLOGY: Science for the New
Millennium, Paradigm Publishing Inc.
http://www.skipwagner.net/smbiotech/biotechtext.htm
6. Rapley, R. (2000). Nucleic Acid Protocols. Humana press.
7. Channarayappa, 2007. Molecular Biotechnology: Principles and Practices. 1st
ed. CRC.
7. Recent Research and Review articles assigned by the instructor.
8. Selected reading materials assigned by the instructor.
Grading system:
Midterm Exam.
Term paper
Laboratory (practical)
Final
Total Grade
20%
10%
30%
40%
100%
2
Practical Part (Laboratory Bio 651)
A. Experimental Excercises (as indicated below) including different aspects in
Biotechnology that the students will perform in the lab. with the help of the
TA.
Lab. sheets will be distributed to the students a week a head of the start of each
exercise.
Exercise 1 & Exercise 2
(Basic tools in recombinant DNA technology)
a- Genomic DNA isolation
b- Restriction enzyme digestion
c- Agarose gel electrophoresis
Exercise 3
(Polymerase Chain Reaction –PCR- methodology)
Exercise 4& 5
(Microbial Fermentation Experiment)
Exercise 6
(Isolation & detection of bacteria from stress environments in Jordan such as the
Dead Sea and the Hot springs)
Exercise 7
(Environmental Biotechnology: Testing the Oil-biodegradation ability of isolated
bacteria from oil contaminated soil in Jordan
Exercise 8 & 9
- Plant tissue culture techniques
- Detection and Testing Genetically modified Organisms
(GMOs)
Exercise 10
(Demonstration exercise Introduction to Bioinformatics or Computational
Biology).
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