An intensive two-week laboratory workshop that allows 20 university faculty to learn the basic principles, techniques and applications of modern molecular biology is being offered during three summers. The goal of the program is to provide participants with the experience and materials to implement an effective undergraduate molecular biology laboratory program. Because of rapid advances, few educational institutions have been able to incorporate modern molecular biology in their laboratory curricula. This workshop will provide an important contribution to undergraduate education by offering undergraduate teaching faculty hands on experience with these techniques. The course consists of laboratory exercises in DNA purifications and separations, gene cloning, Southern blotting and hybridization, DNA amplification and sequencing, and DNA sequence analysis. Laboratories are be supplemented with lectures on the principles of the methods used, and by seminars on the applications of molecular biology, presented by recognized experts. Laboratory and lecture emphasis is on applications that are applicable to undergraduate teaching laboratories, and participants receive the necessary experience and manuals to implement the exercises. Sustained interactions among participants and with the staff is encouraged during the workshop by frequent discussion sessions, and following the course by holding a follow-up session 11 months later. Here participants will their experiences in developing and implementing exercises into new and existing curricula.
