9451393 Lawrance First year biology curriculum will be revised to reflect the revolutionary changes which have taken place in biology over the past two decades. The freshman laboratory will serve as a foundation in a sequence of three laboratory courses bridging molecular & cellular biology, organismal biology (a merger of our present offerings in botany & zoology), and ecology & evolution (course already in place). The laboratory accompanying the first of these three courses will focus not only on introducing molecular genetics and attendant recombinant DNA techniques to freshman, but also on integrating this knowledge with biochemistry and cell biology to provide a solid foundation for the many diverse processes studied in subsequent courses. The equipment will enable introductory experiments in quantitative analysis, tissue culture & microbiology, cell architecture, protein biochemistry and enzymology, DNA structure, gene mapping, DNA sequencing, recombinant DNA techniques, transformation & phenotypic analysis. In addition to providing students with a solid grounding in molecular and cellular biology, the laboratory experiences will also enhance students' abilities and opportunities for advanced study in these areas.
