BIOL-2121 Microbiology Laboratory for Science Majors

This laboratory-based course accompanies Biology 2321, Microbiology for Science Majors. Laboratory activities will reinforce principles of microbiology, including metabolism, structure, function, genetics, and phylogeny of microbes. The course will also examine the interactions of microbes with each other, hosts, and the environment. Laboratory application include microbial techniques including staining, microscopy, cultivation of microbes, and handling of aseptic cultures and materials in the laboratory, biochemical aspects of microbes, chemical, physical and chemotherapeutic control of microbial growth, sanitary analysis of municipal water systems, determination of a bacterial unknown. Lab 4, Cr 1

Credits

1

Prerequisite

BIOL-2321

Corequisite

BIOL-2321 Recommended

Outcomes

  1. Apply scientific reasoning to investigate questions and utilize scientific tools such as microscopes and laboratory equipment to collect and analyze data.
  2. Use critical thinking and scientific problem-solving to make informed decisions in the laboratory.
  3. Communicate effectively the results of scientific investigations.
  4. Provide examples of the impact of microorganisms on agriculture, environment, ecosystem, energy, and human health, including biofilms.
  5. Identify unique structures, capabilities, and genetic information flow of microorganisms.
  6. Compare the life cycles and structures of different types of viruses.
  7. Discuss how microscopy has revealed the structure and function of microorganisms.
  8. Give examples of the range of metabolic diversity exhibited by microorganisms, impact of metabolic characteristics on growth, and control of growth.
  9. Describe evidence for the evolution of cells, organelles, and major metabolic pathways from early prokaryotes and how phylogenetic trees reflect evolutionary relationships.
  10. Describe the causes and consequences of mutations on microbial evolution and the generation of diversity as well as human impacts on adaptation.
  11. Classify interactions of microorganisms on human and non-human hosts as neutral, detrimental, or beneficial.