Research Project Option in place of final
exam - Biotechnology
If you don’t want to take a written final exam, here is your opportunity to design, execute and interpret an
experiment involving a topic of your choice. You are encouraged to work in pairs, but you may work by
yourself.
I recommend expanding upon any of the experiments we have done in class, or you may choose anything
else related to biotechnology that interests you. This experiment can be simple or sophisticated, but should
be reasonable in scope and expense. You are encouraged to solicit materials from local laboratories if
necessary, or from our classroom supplies, if available. This experiment is to take place outside of normal
class hours.
You must commit to this by the 8th week of your semester, and you may not change your mind once you
commit.
Your mission is:
• a sound experimental design with suitable controls
• a well reasoned hypothesis
• reliable data
• logical interpretation and discussion
• suggestions for improvement and further research
A few ideas are listed below:
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DNA staining techniques optimization
Plant biotechnology – Arabidopsis Mutants:
• classical breeding of variegated mutant
• starch overproduction
• temperature response
• decreased DNA methylation
• Dwarf
Molecular modeling design project with Rasmol software (in conjunction w/ Milwaukee School of
Engineering
Food fermentation (cheese, sauerkraut, kim chee, expansions on the yogurt or root beer
experiment)
molecular biology techniques
• RNA isolation and RT-PCR of of Arabidopsis
• Genotyping of arabidopsis mutants
Bacterial gene regulation
factors affecting gel electrophoresis
restriction enzyme analysis of DNA
REQUIREMENT: A Lab Report (1 per group, Due exam week) must be typed (double spaced) including:
• purpose, question or problem you are investigating
• a description of the design of the experiment, which gives a brief overview of the general method
and your hypothesis with rationale.
• detailed protocol such that someone else could follow it.
• a copy (or original) of your raw data from your notebook, dated.
• summary and interpretation of results
• conclusion based on data, including a discussion of validity and reliability
• discussion of implications and limitations of this research; suggestions for improvement
• bibliography of references
• acknowledgments
Biotechnology Research Project Grading
Criteria
Lab report
____/ 1 purpose, question or problem you are investigating
____/ 3 a description of the design of the experiment, which gives a brief overview of the general method
and your hypothesis with rationale.
____/ 3 detailed protocol such that someone else could follow it.
____/ 5 a copy (or original) of your raw data (sufficient number of trials) from your notebook - dated.
____/ 4 analysis of results
____/ 6 conclusion based on data, including a discussion of validity and reliability
____/ 6 discussion (implications, limitations, suggestions)
____/ 2 bibliography of references, acknowledgments
____ / 30 TOTAL
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Last update: June, 2003
Author: John Rademacher jrademacher@madison.k12.wi.us
Publisher: John Rademacher jrademacher@madison.k12.wi.us
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