This project establishes a state-of-the-art Molecular Biology Laboratory. The laboratory is not only providing Biology and Chemistry majors in-depth exposure to the rapidly expanding field of molecular biology, but also providing an introduction to nonmajors enrolled in the General Education class, Biological Concepts. The laboratory consists of six workstations; each includes the equipment necessary to perform the following contemporary experiments: structure, function, and isolation of DNA; electrophoretic separation of proteins and DNA; molecular weight determination; restriction nuclease mapping of DNA; analysis of a genome segment; and recombinant DNA experiments. The data resulting from these experiments are correlated and analyzed utilizing the latest software programs. Limited instruction on the use of internet, modems, and GCG programs for gene sequence analysis is also provided, with an indication of the role they play in molecular biology. The laboratory is linked to the university-wide Novelle network. This gives access to the internet and data banks around the world. This laboratory enables the university to enhance the education provided for its students in molecular biology. Additionally, the project provides students with a positive experience, perhaps motivating them toward a career in the sciences. For the nonscience student, this laboratory makes the often bewildering world of biotechnology more understandable, a must for everyone in the world of tomorrmw.
