Spring 2010: Biology 210 Biological Techniques
Dr. Jolene Tarnay Cogbill, PhD			E-mail: jolene.cogbill@chaminade.edu
Class Meetings: Fridays, 2-4:50 pm, HL2
Office Hours: Wesselkamper 106 – T & Th 10:00am-1:00pm; W 1:00-3:00pm or by appointment  

Required Text:
Required information will be handed out to students weekly.  Students should have a three ring binder to place all literature in an organized fashion.

General Course Objectives:
•	To acquire a general working knowledge of laboratory techniques and protocols.
•	To learn basic laboratory techniques involving DNA, RNA and protein.

Specific Student Objectives:
•	To understand how to make solutions 
•	To learn how to properly pipette 
•	To learn and perform basic DNA protocols: PCR, DNA extraction, electrophoresis, cloning, & digests.
•	To learn and perform basic RNA protocols including: Drosophila embryo collection and fixation, riboprobe synthesis and labeling and in situ hybridization.
•	To learn and perform basic protein protocols: protein extraction, western blot, and immunohistochemistry.

Grading:

Participation & Attendance	  5%
	Quizzes/Prelabs		  5%
	Handouts/Assignments		  5%
Lab Notebook			10%
Exam 1				25%
	Exam 2				25%
	Exam 3				25%

Makeup examinations/quizzes and extra credit:
Makeup examinations and quizzes are not given unless a student is ill and notifies the instructor before the exam.  A doctor’s written excuse must be presented at the next lecture attended before the instructor will consider giving a makeup examination.  Extra credit assignments are not given.

Attendance:
Presence is class is necessary in order for a student to fully grasp concepts and applications.  Absences beyond one unexcused (instructor’s prerogative) will result in a reduction of the course grade.

Quizzes:
Students are responsible for all assigned reading and supplementary handouts.  Quizzes based on the required reading and/or the previous lab will be given at the beginning of class.  Students are encouraged to read ahead to keep up with high volume of material.

Lab Notebooks:
Lab notebooks will be collected at the beginning of each exam period (for a total of 3 times).  Lab notebooks will be graded based on organization, neatness, and content.  Refer to the section on Record Keeping.

Because the university is an academic community with high professional standards, its teaching function is seriously disrupted and subverted by academic dishonesty.  Such dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, which includes giving/receiving unauthorized assistance during an examination; obtaining information about an examination before it is give, using inappropriate/unallowed sources of information during an examination; altering answers after an examination has been submitted; and altering the records on any grade.  (Refer to the Chaminade University catalog for further information).

Tentative Course Outline:
Week	Date			Topic						Assignment(s)
1	Jan 14			Basic Lab Safety, Record Keeping		Solutions & Dilutions Worksheet
				Making Solutions:				Measurements Worksheet
					balances, pH, molarity, conversions	Pipetting Exercise
				Pipetting

2	Jan 21			Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)		PCR Pre-lab
										*to be done BEFORE come to lab

3	Jan 28			DNA Cloning & Bacterial Transformation	Gel Electrophoresis Pre-lab
				Gel Electrophoresis				*to be done BEFORE come to lab

4	Feb 4			DNA Extraction				Restriction Digest Pre-lab
				Restriction Digests				*to be done BEFORE come to lab
				
5	Feb 11			Exam 1	: Covers Introduction & DNA Labs 1-4				

6	Feb 18		Riboprobe Synthesis				Riboprobe Pre-lab
				Drosophila Embryo Collection & Fixation	*to be done BEFORE come to lab
				
7	Feb 25			Riboprobe Synthesis Con’t		

8	Mar 4			In Situ Hybridization & Detection		In Situ Pre-lab	
										* to be done BEFORE come to lab
9	Mar 11			In Situ  Detection	
		
10	Mar 18	 		Lab Exam 2: Covers RNA Labs 6-9

11	Mar 25 		NO CLASSES – Spring Break

12	Apr  1			Immunohistochemistry				Immuno Pre-lab
										*to be done BEFORE come to lab

13	Apr 8			Immunohistochemistry Con’t
				Western Blots – Lecture only            

14	Apr 15			Review            	
                                              	
15	Apr 22			 GOOD FRIDAY – no classes

16	Apr 29			Lab Exam 3: Covers Protein Labs 11-13

Note: Every effort has been made to insure that the material in this syllabus is accurate and complete.  However, thus the instructor reserves the right to make any changes in the contents of this syllabus that she deems necessary or desirable. 

Guidelines for use of all Division of Natural Science and Mathematics Laboratories at Chaminade University 

1.    Come to lab properly dressed with lab coat.  Bare feet, flip-flops, or sandals are NOT ALLOWED.  
 
2.   Do not eat, drink, apply cosmetics or chew gum in the lab.  
 
3.   Never mouth pipette any liquid in any laboratory. 

4.   Work on the lab bench, keep you work area organized, and put away unneeded notebooks, papers, and personal electronics.