This project focuses on investigations and education in molecular biology. Freshmen general biology laboratories are being redesigned with more emphasis on molecular biology and biotechnology. The revised curriculum also benefits upper division courses such as cell biology and genetics. More opportunities are also available for individual molecular biology student research projects. More complex techniques and experiments now include cell culturing, protein and nucleic acid analysis, Southern hybridization, preparation of gene libraries, use of polymerase chain reaction, statistical analysis of generated data using personal computers, and DNA sequencing. Overall, the project enables students who complete the general biology, cell Biology, and molecular genetics courses to gain experience in virtually all of the major molecular biology techniques in a cumulative, educational manner. It is also expected that students will be well prepared for individual undergraduate research projects and use techniques in molecular biology.
