Development of a Molecular Biology Track Focused on the Population Genetic Analysis of Threatened and Endangered Species

该项目的目的是编制细胞和分子生物学课程，并设立一个实验室，重点研究受威胁和濒危物种的种群遗传学分析。这可以是生物学专业的一个组成部分。它很好地融入了课程，因为正在解决的研究问题将联合收割机分子技术与对生物学有浓厚兴趣的学生具有内在相关性的应用相结合。 为了实现这一目标，计划在初级（100和200）课程中分配基本概念和技术，然后在高级（300）课程中应用这些技术。高级课程实验室工作的重点是开发和使用微卫星遗传标记，专门用于特定受威胁或濒危物种的群体遗传分析。 作为该计划的结果，学生获得了分子技术的经验，如DNA分离，限制性分析，Southern印迹，克隆，文库构建和筛选，DNA测序和聚合酶链反应。该计划的目标受众包括女性，占学生人数的75%，未来的教师（每年约35人）和生物专业。对课程发展的影响可以通过调查和课程评价来分析。预计在该计划中开发的实验室活动将在期刊和实验室手册中发表。

The purpose of this project is the development of a curriculum in cell and molecular biology with a laboratory focusing on the population genetic analysis of threatened and endangered species. This can be an integral part of the Biology major. It fits into the curriculum well because the research problems being addressed combine molecular techniques with an application that has intrinsic relevance to students with a strong interest in organismal biology. The plan is to accomplish this objective through the distribution of basic concepts and techniques among several courses at the introductory (100 and 200) level followed by the application of these techniques in upper-level (300) courses. The focus of the laboratory work in the upper-level courses is on the development and usage of microsatellite genetic markers designed specifically for population genetic analysis of a particular threatened or endangered species. As a result of this program, students are gaining experience with molecular techniques such as DNA isolation, restriction analysis, Southern blotting, cloning, library construction and screening, DNA sequencing, and polymerase chain reactions. Audiences targeted by this program include women, who comprise 75 percent of our student population, prospective teachers (about 35 per year), and biology majors. The impact on curricular development can be analyzed by surveys and course evaluations. It is further expected that the laboratory activities developed in this program will be published in journals and in laboratory manuals.