Improvement of Undergraduate Laboratory Instruction in Biology, Chemistry and Physics through the purchase of a Liquid Scintillation Counter

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Through the purchase of a liquid scintillation counter (LSC), the Biology Department at Valdosta State College is adding radioisotope experiments to its curriculum in Immunology and Cellular Biology and, to a lesser extent, to laboratory work in Chemistry and Physics. The Cellular Biology laboratory has completed the first phase of its development, and students have grown mammalian cells under varying growth conditions. Acquisition of the LSC completes the second phase of the development plan. Students now are able to carry out experiments at the molecular level. This will enable them to work through techniques which are aimed at gaining a better understanding of principles that lie at the foundation of modern molecular biology. Support for the Physics and Chemistry Departments through this project also contributes to the modernization of their laboratories, enabling all three departments to provide their undergraduates with a safe introduction to laboratory uses of tritium and carbon-14. Valdosta State enjoys an enviable reputation for sending graduates on to advanced studies, and the benefits gained through this project should enhance the preparation received by many of its science majors.