Equipping an Undergraduate Instructional Laboratory with theTools of the Molecular Biologist.

分子生物学和分子遗传学的最新进展正在显著改变培养生物学专业本科生所需的实验室方法。亨特学院的教职员工为本科生准备了一门经过修订和扩充的为期一年的分子生物学课程，其中包括生物化学和分子遗传学领域的两门最新实验室课程。修订和扩展的课程(强调基本克隆技术、重组克隆中存在的质粒分析、酶的分离和表征以及细胞表面的结构分析)将增加学生在分子程序和科学仪器方面的动手实验室经验。此外，对于在科学调查工具方面经验有限的学生，将有可能更多地接触到这门课程。对于有经验的学生来说，有机会通过使用现代分子技术进行独立的荣誉研究项目来扩展他们现有的知识。由于使用了同样的设备，预计两个实验室课程也会有更多的变化。实施这些改变的主要设备包括高速超微离心机、闪烁计数器、摇床培养箱和SPEED-VAC系统。从这些课程中受益的学生中有很大一部分是妇女和/或在国家科学家队伍中代表性不足的少数群体成员。

Recent advances in Molecular Biology and Molecular Genetics are significantly changing the laboratory approaches required for training undergraduates majoring in Biology. The Hunter College faculty has prepared a revised and expanded one-year Molecular Biology course for undergraduate majors which includes two updated laboratory courses in the areas of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. The revised and expanded curriculum (emphasizing basic cloning techniques, analysis of the plasmids present in recombinant clones, isolation and characterization of enzymes, and structural analysis of cell surfaces) will give students increases hands-on laboratory experience with molecular procedures and scientific instruments. In addition, increased access to the course for students with limited experience in the tools of scientific investigation will be possible. For the experienced students there is opportunity to expand their existing knowledge by using modern molecular techniques for an independent honors research project. Additional changes in the two laboratory courses are also projected with the utilization of this same equipment. The major items being used to implement these changes include high speed ultra- and micro-centrifuges, a scintillation counter, shaker incubator and a speed-vac system. A large fraction of the students benefitting from these courses are women and/or members of minority groups underrepresented in the Nation's pool of scientists.