Spring 2026 - MBB 308 D100
Molecular Biology Laboratory (3)
Class Number: 5095
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Jan 5 – Apr 10, 2026: Mon, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Stephanie Vlachos
svlachos@sfu.ca
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Prerequisites:
MBB 229 with a minimum grade of C. Corequisite: MBB 331.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
Modern molecular biological and recombinant nucleic acid methods will be covered. Examples are DNA and RNA isolation, plasmid preparation, restriction enzyme digestion, DNA cloning and polymerase chain reaction. Students with credit for BISC 357 may not take this course for further credit.
COURSE DETAILS:
This course will introduce students to recombinant nucleic acid methods. Lab time will involve one full afternoon every week, for which attendance is mandatory—unexcused absences will be penalized.
Laboratory Exercises:
- Check-in, safety, Pipette practice, NanoDrop
- Making LB Bacterial plates, casting and loading agarose gels, streaking pJ014 and pJT0 cells onto LB-Amp plates
- Inoculation of liquid culture from pJT0 plates, colony PCR, plasmid miniprep, PCR confirmation via gel electrophoresis
- Restriction digest of PCR product and purified pJT0 plasmid; gel electrophoresis; gel purification of PCR product
- Dephosphorylate of pJT0 vector, ligation, transformation in DH5α cells; Pour LB-Amp
- Site-directed mutagenesis via PCR cycling; DpnI digestion of parental plasmid and transformation/plating
- Fluorescent characterization of mCherry & mutants
- Isolation of genomic DNA and total RNA from Drosophila, NanoDrop.
- Formaldehyde gel analysis, PCR of gene-specific fragment from genomic DNA; generation of a specific cDNA via RT-PCR; pour LB-Amp plates
- Gel electrophoresis of the genomic PCR product and cDNA from RT-PCR; spin column purification; cloning of the genomic PCR product into pGEM-T Easy: ligation and transformation
- Miniprep of pGEM-T Easy – genomic PCR, diagnostic restriction digests and gel electrophoresis of cloned product; cycle sequencing of genomic and cDNA clone
- Computer lab for analysis of Drosophila sequencing data
Grading
- Lab Notebook 15%
- Lab Performance 20%
- Lab Quizzes 10%
- Mini-assignment 5%
- Midterm exam 15%
- Final exam 20%
- Lab exam 15%
Materials
MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:
Safety goggles or face shield, and a lab coat are required.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Dale, Jeremy W. and Malcolm von Schantz. (2012). From Genes to Genomes and Applications of DNA Technology, (3rd Ed.). Wiley.
ISBN: 9780470683859
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Department Undergraduate Notes:
- For help with writing, learning and study strategies please contact the Student Learning Commons at
http://learningcommons.sfu.ca/ - Students requiring accommodations as a result of a disability, must contact the Centre for Accessible Learning (778-782-3112 or e-mail: caladmin@sfu.ca)
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.
To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit:
- SFU’s Academic Integrity Policy: S10-01 Policy
- SFU’s Academic Integrity website, which includes helpful videos and tips in plain language: Academic Integrity at SFU
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.