THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, ST. AUGUSTINE
FACULTY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF LIFE SCIENCES
COURSE OUTLINE
COURSE CODE: BIOL3369
COURSE TITLE: LABORATORY SKILLS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
NO. OF CREDITS: 3
LEVEL: III, Sem. 1
PRE-REQUISITE(S): BIOL2XXX Principles of Molecular Biology
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course provides necessary practical skills on recombinant DNA technology and
molecular biology and biotechnology techniques. This course will be taught through lab
sessions, lab discussions/lectures. Course will be assessed for 100% course work. Lab
experiments and lectures will comprehensively cover the experiments and methods
involved in gene cloning, necessary instrumentation and Preparation of reagents;
Extraction of DNA and RNA; Restriction digestion of plasmid and genomic DNA and
fragment analysis; Extraction of plant proteins and SDS-PAGE analysis; DNA-PCR, RTPCR, qPCR; Preparation of tissue culture media; Tissue culture of tobacco leaf explants;
Cell culture techniques; DNA-sequencing and DNA finger printing.
COURSE RATIONALE
This course is a techniques-based course that seeks to provide students with the required
knowledge which serves as a basis for experimental, applied and industrial biotechnology.
The student, upon completion of this course, should acquire a comprehensive
understanding and practical expertise in basic molecular biology and biotechnology
techniques. This foundation is important for the understanding and practical
experimentation of several more advanced techniques and their applications in many
biology-related fields. This course is a constituent of the proposed “Biotechnology
specialization/minor. This course also provides required basic foundation for further higher
studies in biology/biotechnology.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
BIOL3XXX will be managed by a course coordinator and would be taught be a team of
experienced lecturers, supported by a Teaching Assistant/Instructor and laboratory
demonstrators. Office hours for the coordinator and lecturers are posted on the faculty
bulletin boards and are available from the Department of Life Sciences’ general
office. Team members can also be contacted via e-mail.
Name of instructor(s):
Office address and phone:
Email address:
Office hours:
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LETTER TO THE STUDENT
Welcome to BIOL3XXX- Laboratory Skills in Biotechnology. This course covers the
commonest lab techniques associated with biotechnology of plants, microbe and by
extension to applications of biotechnology including medicine, environment, industry and
agriculture. The course is taught through a series of 12 lectures/lab discussions and 12 lab
(wet and virtual) sessions. The course is quite extensive and students must make a sincere
effort to do well by fullest participation and involvement. It is important to attend lectures
and labs. Please make use of supplementary information provided to strengthen foundation
and enhance understanding of material covered.
CONTENT
The course, Laboratory Skills in Biotechnology focuses on techniques that underline many
of the experimental procedures employed in various branches of Biotechnology and
molecular biology.
The general topics include: Gene cloning methods, Instrumentation for biotechnology
experiments and Preparation of reagents; Extraction of DNA and RNA; Restriction
digestion of plasmid and genomic DNA and Agarose-gel electrophoresis; Extraction of
plant proteins and SDS-PAGE analysis; DNA-PCR, RT-PCR, qPCR, Preparation of tissue
culture media; Tissue culture of tobacco leaf explants; Cell culture techniques; DNAsequencing; DNA finger printing.
GOALS/AIMS
This course aims to:
 Build a range of competencies in transferrable skills as applied to experimental
biotechnology
 Expose students to the general techniques used for conducting research in
Biotechnology
 Incorporate specialist practical skills and provide adequate pre-required hands on
knowledge and exposure on biotechnology techniques essential for further advancing
higher studies/research/training in biotechnology.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the course students should be able to:
 Apply the major transferrable skills relevant to conducting research and practical
work in biotechnology.
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Analyze the choice of techniques for experiments in Biotechnology.
Explain, illustrate and interpret the principle, mechanism and steps of various
biotechnological techniques and methods.
Review specific field and laboratory approaches, instrumentation and methodologies
used in research in selected problems in biotechnology.
Demonstrate hands on lab skills in the experimental techniques covered.
Apply biotechnological techniques to the elucidation of real-life scenarios.
 Evaluate the applicability of biotechnological techniques to experimental aims.
 Critique, analyze and discuss the relevant journal articles and reports for relevance
and applicability of methodology.
COURSE ASSESSMENT
100% - Course work
Course assessment components
Lab observation report
In-course tests (2x9%) & quizzes (3x2%)
Journal review/response (5x3%)
Group discussion/presentation
Tutorial participation (5%) & lab
etiquette/participation (5%)
% split up details
30%
25%
15%
20%
10%
EVALUATION
 The elected Class Representative and/or Deputy will attend meetings with the course
teacher(s) organized at every 4th week, and present feedback from the students attending
that course or stream. This feedback is normally provided both orally and in written form
for transmission to the lecturer. Apart from that the representatives will be attending the
Liaison Committee meeting, and give their feedbacks to the committee.
 Students may comment on any aspect of the course or facilities. Students will be
encouraged to submit their feedback (oral/written) during tutorials directly to the course
teacher and appropriate actions will be taken by the teacher then and there.
 Results of in-course tests, quiz and other course assignments will be analyzed and
presented in the class. This will help students to check their progress constantly and also
helps the instructor to identify the weak areas and thereby could alert and advise students
individually to alter their approach of study and completing the work.
 The final reflective feedback and comments about the entire course and teaching will be
collected on the last day of the course. This will be saved for analysis and utilized as a
base for improvement for the next offering in the following year.
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TEACHING STRATEGIES
Credits: 3 computed as follows:
Lectures/Tutorials: 12 h (1 cr)
Practical work: 48 h (2 cr)
The instruction for this course would comprise of 1 lecture per week and one practical
session per week. Additionally, instructional videos, tutorials and practical labs (wet and
virtual labs) would be utilized to support the teaching. Formal lectures and tutorials will
provide introduction to specific topics and allow for discussion in an interactive setting.
Case studies, journal paper discussion and data analyses will be employed in small group
settings. Course materials and readings will be available online in advance so that
discussion and critiquing can take place within the assigned class time. Practicals will
provide hands-on training in general approaches and specific techniques in the form of
laboratory sessions. This course is also myeLearning supported, and many other resources
must be readily available for the students. Students in the practical sessions, work in groups
of 4 during these hands-on sessions, for which experimental planning (pre-labs) and small
group discussions are required.
RESOURCES
Recommended reading:
Primrose, S.B., Twyman, R.M. 2006. Principles of Gene Manipulation and Genomics,
7th Edn. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Glick, B.R., Pasternak, J.J. 2010. Molecular Biotechnology: Principles and
Applications of Recombinant DNA. ASM Press
Carson, S., Miller, H., Witherow, S. 2011. Molecular Biology Techniques, A
Classroom Laboratory Manual, 3 edition, Academic Press
COURSE CALENDAR
Week
Lecture + Tutorial
Wk1
Introduction to the course
Recombinant DNA technology - principles
Wk2
Wk3
Wk4
Wk5
Wk6
Gene cloning
(Journal 1)
Plasmid constructs, digestion and restriction
mapping
PCR techniques
(Journal 2)
Blotting techniques
Blotting techniques
4
Lab
Lab Safety Talk, Lab tour, lab
apparatuses and equipments,
prep. of reagents
PCR amplification of gene
from genomic DNA
Plasmid extraction, digestion
and gel analysis (Lab Quiz 1)
RT-PCR and qPCR +
Southern blotting
Northern and Western + (Incourse test)
Week
Wk7
Lecture + Tutorial
Recombinant protein expression and purification
(Journal 3)
Wk8
Recombinant protein expression and purification
Wk9
Molecular diagnostic procedures
(Journal 4)
Plant tissue culture
Wk10
Wk11
Wk12
Animal cell culture
DNA sequencing
(Journal 5)
Wk13
Review
Lab
E.coli based recombinant
protein expression (Lab Quiz
2)
Purification of proteins and
SDS-PAGE
PCR based diagnostic
procedures
Plant Tissue culture technique
(Lab Quiz 3)
Insect cell culture
Sequencing of rDNA
amplicons, DNA finger
printing + (Incourse test)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
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Refer to the Life Sciences Undergraduate Handbook for general guidelines for
teaching, assessment, student conduct, essential skills, and support at
http://sta.uwi.edu/fsa/lifesciences/documents/handbook.pdf
Refer to the General Information and General Regulations in the Faculty Booklet
available from http://sta.uwi.edu/fsa/documents/UGFacultyBooklet.pdf
Students are reminded that they must attend a minimum of 75% of the practical
sessions and tutorials. Failure to do so will result in debarment from the final
examination.
As a general principle, medicals or other excuses may only excuse a student’s
presence at an assigned time. Students must still complete the assigned work (makeup lab report or make-up test) in order to obtain the marks for that item of
coursework. The student is responsible for liaising with the Course Coordinator or
Teaching Assistants to ensure the assigned make-up is completed.
Students are hereby informed that plagiarism is forbidden and all unsupervised
coursework items must be accompanied by a Coursework Accountability Statement
in order to be assessed. Specific items may require submission through Turnitin on
myeLearning. Refer to ‘University Regulations on Plagiarism’ available from
http://sta.uwi.edu/resources/documents/Exam_Regulations_Plagiarism.pdf
HOW TO STUDY FOR THIS COURSE:
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Attendance is mandatory for lectures, tutorials and practicals. Prior preparation is
strongly advised to able to fully participate in activities and obtain the full value of
the sessions.
Thorough use should be made of the resources provided and students are strongly
advised to become familiar with them and start utilising them from the first week.
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Regular updates on course progress and materials are also highly recommended and
you should be checking into myelearning on a frequent regular basis to review
materials, assignments and activities.
Students are encouraged to interact regularly with staff, even outside of the assigned
tutorial times to ensure prompt, satisfactory solution of any problems and to
monitor progress.
Good group management is essential and requires good communication and
interpersonal skills.
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