20.109(F19): Fall 2019 schedule
Welcome to 20.109! It is our goal to make this class a useful and fun introduction to the experiments and techniques used in biological engineering. Though there is not time enough to show you everything needed to do research, after this class you will feel confident and familiar with some fundamental experimental approaches and laboratory protocols. You will develop good habits at the bench, which will increase the likelihood of success in your work and ensure the health and safety of you and your labmates. By the end of the semester, you will also be well-versed in good scientific practices - through your experience with scientific writing, notebook keeping, and orally presenting data and novel ideas. All of us involved in teaching 20.109 hope you will find it a satisfying challenge and an exciting experience that has lasting value.
SCHEDULE DETAILS:
Lecture times: T/R 11 - 12 pm (16-220)
Laboratory section times: T/R 1 - 5 pm or W/F 1 - 5 pm (56-322)
| MODULE | DAY | DATE | LECTURER | LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS | ASSIGNMENTS | |
| R/F Sept 5/6 | NLL |
Orientation and laboratory tour |
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| 1 | 1 | T/W Sept 10/11 | BE | Practice cell culture and begin gamma-H2AX assay |
Laboratory orientation quiz Homework due | |
| 1 | 2 | R/F Sept 12/13 | BE | Treat cells for gamma-H2AX assay and prepare CometChip for loading experiment |
Homework due | |
| 1 | 3 | T/W Sept 17/18 | BE | Complete gamma-H2AX assay and perform loading experiment |
Homework due | |
| R/F Sept 19/20 | BE | Lecture, but no laboratory Career fair student holiday |
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| 1 | 4 | T/W Sept 24/25 | Comm Lab | Load cells into CometChip and apply treatments for DNA damage experiment |
Laboratory quiz Homework due | |
| 1 | 5 | R/F Sept 26/27 | BE | Complete DNA damage experiment |
Homework due | |
| 1 | 6 | T/W Oct 1/2 | BE | Image CometChip |
Homework due | |
| 1 | 7 | R/F Oct 3/4 | BE | Practice statistical analysis methods and complete data analysis |
Laboratory quiz Homework due | |
| 2 | 1 | T/W Oct 8/9 | NLL |
Complete in silico cloning of pdCas9 |
Homework due Mini-presentation due Sat, X at 10 pm | |
| 2 | 2 | W/F Oct 10/11 | NLL |
Design gRNA sequence for CRISPRi |
Homework due | |
| T/W Oct 15/16 | Columbus day holiday | Data Summary draft due Wed, X at 10 pm [ Blog post due] Thurs, X at 10 pm | ||||
| 2 | 3 | R/F Oct 17/18 | NLL |
Generate gRNA plasmid |
Homework due Data Summary revision due Sat, X at 10 pm | |
| 2 | 4 | T/W Oct 22/23 | NLL |
Journal club I | ||
| 2 | 5 | R/F Oct 24/25 | NLL |
Confirm gRNA sequence in pgRNA |
Laboratory quiz Homework due | |
| 2 | 6 | T/W Oct 29/30 | NLL |
Journal club II | ||
| 2 | 7 | R/F Oct/Nov 31/1 | NLL |
Induce CRISPRi system |
Homework due [ Blog post due] Fri, X at 10 pm | |
| 2 | 8 | T/W Nov 5/6 | NLL |
Measure fermentation products |
Laboratory quiz Homework due | |
| 3 | 1 | R/F Nov 7/8 | AK |
Homework due | ||
| T/W Nov 12/13 | Veterans' day holiday | Research article due Mon, X at 10 pm [ Blog post due] Tue, X at 10 pm | ||||
| 3 | 2 | R/F Nov 14/15 | AK |
Homework due | ||
| T/W Nov 19/20 | Lecture, but no laboratory | |||||
| R/F Nov 21/22 | Thanksgiving holiday | |||||
| 3 | 3 | T/W Nov 26/27 | AK |
Laboratory quiz Homework due | ||
| 3 | 4 | R/F Nov 28/29 | AK |
Homework due | ||
| 3 | 5 | T/W Dec 3/4 | AK |
Laboratory quiz Homework due | ||
| R/F Dec 5/6 | Research proposal presentations | [ Blog post due] Fri, X at 10 pm | ||||
| T Dec 10 | Feedback and celebratory lunch | Mini-report due Mon, Dec 9 at 10 pm | ||||
