This project improves the sophistication of cellular and molecular components of the curriculum. The department is redesigning a course for majors to introduce them to the major building blocks of living organisms, and to teach them the modern techniques of molecular biology. The purchase of centrifuges, liquid chromatography, paper chromatography, and electrophoresis equipment, photographic equipment, and of a UV/visible spectrophotometer allows the department to introduce new laboratory experiences involving cell fractionation; protein, DNA and RNA separations; quantitative measurement of proteins and nucleic acids; restriction digestion of nucleic acids, and the cloning of restriction fragments. The instruments are also being used in Immunology and Genetics courses and laboratories in Plant Physiology. The college will contribute an amount equal to the award.
