To the Students
Laboratory experience is crucial to science education because it deepens understanding of the subjects covered in lectures. It is an essential part of learning as described in the following Chinese proverbs: “我聽見, 我忘記 (I hear, and I forget); 我看見, 我記住 (I see, and I remember); 我做了, 我了解 (I do, and I understand).” This lab book comprises five project-based modules that introduce you to common techniques used in molecular biology research. The introduction and context given in each weekly exercise will help you understand the underlying principles of each technique and apply them to related studies. For example, the techniques used for Southern blot analysis (Module 2) include probe labeling and nucleic acid hybridization/detection. Both have been applied to numerous areas of basic research and applications, such as screening specific DNA sequences from recombinant libraries, labeling nucleic acid probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization to localize the presence of particular DNA on human chromosomes, identifying bacterial and eukaryotic pathogens, detecting gene expression in fixed tissues, and diagnosing cancer and disease. Similarly, RT-qPCR (Module 4) is a technique used for diagnosing and detecting specific mRNA expressions in cells, as well as for detecting infectious diseases in patient samples, including the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The technique was once considered the gold standard for COVID-19 testing.
In 1st– or 2nd-year labs, exercises are designed and controlled to give you a specific outcome. If you follow directions and understand the purpose and rationale behind the procedure, you will get the expected results. The exercises in these labs challenge you to develop important intellectual skills in science, such as experimental design used to predict and interpret results. Even though you are not designing the experiments for the projects described in this book, the data analysis and discussion at the end of each lab asks you to develop the skills needed for investigative research. For example, you will need to predict, obtain, and interpret your results after understanding and conducting the experiments.
In addition to gaining practical lab skills and learning the underlying principles and detailed molecular mechanisms, the lab exercises will help you improve scientific skills for research, such as analyzing and communicating experimental results with others. Importantly, these labs will help you improve your critical thinking and work effectively as part of a team, since most, if not all, molecular biology research is conducted through collaborative efforts.
