This project is helping expand molecular biology at the Institution. Molecular biology techniques are currently introduced in several freshman and sophomore courses for biology majors. In addition, an advanced course in molecular biology is being expanded and the new basic equipment is being used to perform a wider array of molecular biology techniques. Three major goals are addressed. The first is an expansion of the number of molecular approaches available in the Molecular Biology course. This allows the laboratory to be organized as a cohesive package wherein students use molecular biology techniques to address a single biological question during the semester, rather than simply learning how to perform isolated techniques. Second, the equipment provides additional research opportunities and tools for the independent research projects that are required of all undergraduate majors in the Biology program. Third, a DNA fingerprinting laboratory is being added to the nonmajors Introductory Biology course to introduce these students to recent popular molecular biology techniques. A new laboratory manual for Molecular Biology is also being developed, will be disseminated at professional meetings, and will be made available on the Internet.
