Experimental
methods and design in Molecular Biology
Get ready for a course in which you’ll need to work
a lot by yourself and a lot more in groups (which sometimes it can be tiring
xD). First of all, don’t be afraid if
you check your schedule and just find: seminars, labs and tests. It works this
way: - Seminars: You’ll be divided in groups and you’ll need to answer several questions that will be posted a week before the seminar class is scheduled. Then in class, you’ll discuss them with your teammates and that’s all. You will not comment the answers with all class or with the teacher, and everytime you ask about doubts to the teacher, she will usually tell you to discuss them in your group and send her an e-mail if you still have doubts. We tried to change the dynamics of the class, because sometimes it was a waste of time because not everyone had prepared their answers and some of us were feeling like teachers without working for free. If you still have the same problem, try to make it change. IMPORTANT: The theoretical part of the course is graded by 2 tests you’ll have during the semester. The first one will be based in the contents of seminars 1 and 2 and the second one in the contents of seminars 3 and 4.
Contents of each seminar:
Seminar 1: Extraction and purification of DNA/RNA,
Southern blot/Northern blot, Restriction enzymes.
Seminar 2: PCR, cloning and transformation.
Seminar 3: Sequencing.
Seminar 4: qPCR and Mutagenesis.
Here are the links of the course books that are
followed:
- Labs & tests. Before each lab you’ll need to be prepared and you’ll do a test in order to show that. You’ll have two chances in order to pass it. The lab tests that you’ll have to pass are called “dugga”, as the word “assignment” it’s something that will be in the front page of your personal dictionary once you start with the master. These duggas can be tests in the computer (the 2 first lab duggas would be that), presentations, the explanation of a protocol you’ll design, etc. AND there are duggas after lab too, in order to show what you’ve learnt from the lab and if you are able to analyze your results. Here is a small chart that summarizes the lab workflow you’ll be following.
Molecular
Biotechnology
THE STUDY GUIDE HAS TO BE YOUR SACRED BOOK!
Everything will be detailed for each week in this course guide. In this course
you’ll receive theoretical lectures, you’ll need to prepare seminars and also
you’ll have to do a theoretical project based in the production of a
recombinant protein that will be assigned to each of you. - Lectures: 7 lectures conform the program. Each of them is focused in stablishing some theoretical basis in biotechnology, but also, some of the lecturers will expose their own work and it’s a good point for understanding what is being done –in terms of research- in the University of Skövde. The lectures are: (1) Introduction to molecular biotechnology, (2) Plant Biotechnology, (3) Molecular diagnosis and sepsis, (4) Recombinant antibodies, (5) RNA of interference, (6) Functional food [EVEN you – and everyone – think that this is the dumbest lecture ever, a lot of questions regarding this were in the first exam], (7) Drug development. There is a textbook to follow called “An Introduction to Molecular Biotechnology: Fundamentals, Methods and Applications” from Wink. I can’t share a link to it, as I don’t have it, but if you are interested to have it I can send it to you, leave me a comment in the blog ^^.
- Seminars: You’ll need to answer to the questions of 3 seminars. First, you’ll have en introduction of each topic and then you’ll need to answer to the different questions with your groupmates. Seminar topics: (1) Patents – legal & ethic issues, (2) Ethics – Genetic testing and (3) GMOs.
- Theoretical project: Each week you’ll need to submit some tasks that would be specified in the study guide in order to win bonus points. Then, you’ll gather all the answers of your tasks and write a report about the obtention of your recombinant protein. You’ll send a preliminar version of your project before christmas and also you’ll need to present it by then and you’ll be the opponent of any other classmate. Then, you’ll have Christmas in order to prepare a final version.
- The exam will be after Christmas and questions regarding the lectures but also the seminars.
This will be
your first semester. If you are taking the 1 year Master, on yhe 2nd
semester you’ll be doing your Master thesis, if you are taking the 2 years
Master, it will start the following autumn. However, you should know that the
University of Skövde realizes it’s small size and encourages the students to do
their master thesis in other universities such as the University of Göterborg,
Cancer center of Göterborg, the Karolinska Institutet… Ask for references and
contact with other research groups to your teachers as soon as you can.
Vi ses!
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