New publication from Milne Open Textbooks: Molecular Techniques! 🧬🧫🧪

[Allison Brown]

New! Molecular Techniques  A Project-Based Undergraduate Laboratory Ming-Mei Chang License: Attribution-CC-BY-NC ISBN: 978-1-956862-23-2 Available formats: Online (Pressbooks), PDF download, Print on Demand  Molecular biology, examining the structures and functions of nucleic acids and proteins, is crucial to advancing biological science and improving human life, particularly in agriculture and medicine. Advances in the field can transform a crop to resist disease or uncover clues to fight illness by manipulating DNA. Techniques for molecular biology research and applications have advanced rapidly over the past decades, and undergraduates need hands-on experiences in this vital field of science. This text provides a structured approach to learning and practicing those techniques, covering DNA, RNA, and protein across five modules and is tailored for a one-semester undergraduate lab course. Each module extends 2–5 weeks of lab exercises and features: An aim and overview introducing the project’s topic, principles, and concepts. A flowchart summarizing weekly lab exercises with estimated time frames. A list of required equipment and materials to help instructors prepare. Each lab exercise begins with an objective(s), an introduction to the techniques used, and detailed procedures for the corresponding experiment; data analysis and discussion at the end enhance students’ comprehension of the content. Students will become familiar with techniques widely used in molecular biology research, such as degenerate PCR cloning, Southern blot, probe labeling, bacterial recombineering with and without CRISPR-Cas9, RT-qPCR, SDS-PAGE, and Western blot. Most lab exercises were adopted from published research projects to ensure the feasibility and success of the experiments conducted by inexperienced undergraduates. All modules have been taught to biochemistry and biology 3rd- and 4th-year students at SUNY Geneseo in multiple sections of the Molecular Techniques Lab over several years. Most lab exercises, along with student results, were published previously in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. About the Author Dr. Ming-Mei Chang is a plant molecular biologist whose research encompasses DNA cloning, gene expression, and genetic manipulation, with applications in agriculture, medicine, and authentication (DNA taggants). She has authored over 20 peer-reviewed papers in agriculture and medicine, with an emphasis on plant disease resistance for crop protection. She is a recipient of the research award from the New York State Wine and Grape Foundation for her significant contribution to viticulture research in the New York wine and grape industry. In addition to research, she had years of teaching experience in molecular and cell biology, as well as in associated lab courses, at SUNY Geneseo. She is committed to designing and teaching lab courses that provide research experiences for undergraduates and make the content accessible to all. Throughout her teaching career, she has developed undergraduate laboratory exercises that employ techniques widely used in molecular biology research and published them in the peer-reviewed journal Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. This lab book, Molecular Techniques, is the culmination of her extensive experience in teaching, particularly labs, and mentoring undergraduate research. It offers students a resource that integrates practical and basic lab techniques into their learning experience. Outside the classroom and lab, Ming-Mei likes traveling, hiking, kayaking, swimming, and practicing Chinese calligraphy. Contact Allison Brown, bro...@geneseo.edu for more information