BIT 100: Current Topics in Biotechnology

Overview:

• Provides science and non-science majors an opportunity to learn about current issues in biotechnology that play a role in our society
• Fulfills a Natural Sciences GEP requirement
• Engages students in lecture and lab planning, designing, and executing molecular biotechnology experiments

Lecture Topics:

• Introduction to biotechnology, fermentation and “tasty” biotechnology, introduction to molecular and cell biology
• Proteins, enzymes, polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing
• The Human Genome Project, bioremediation, biofuels
• Genetically modified foods, stem cells, gene therapy
• Pharmaceuticals, transgenic animals, cloning

Labs:

• Biotechnology Boot Camp: cloning and expression of green fluorescent protein
• Are you a night owl or an early bird?: examining genotypes and phenotypes
• Who Dunnit?: a crime scene analysis
• Oil Spill Disaster: exploring bioremediation
• Is your favorite food altered?: investigating genetically modified foods
• Silencing genes on command: using RNA interference in tobacco plants