Teaching_IITD_Biology_Foundation

Introductory Biology for Engineers: Laboratory (Lab groups are at the bottom of the page)

TA duty distribution:

		Buffers			Biomol. Vis. - Bradford			Microscopy
1300-1500 hrs	Mon	Shikha	Ankit	Nidhi	Anjali Priya	Akanksha	Shubham	Chandra Shekhar	Firdos	Ramesh
	Tues	Shikha	Ankit	Nidhi	Anjali Priya	Akanksha	Shubham	Chandra Shekhar	Firdos	Ramesh
	Wed	Devanshu	Gagandeep	Yamini	Sujithra	Upma	Anshu Rani	Shivaksh	Devanshi	Saurabh
	Thu	Medha	Anjali Dixit	Gagandeep	Uzma	Dibyakanti	Dipannita	Pragya	Devanshi	Saurabh
	Fri	Medha	Anjali Dixit	Kiruthika	Uzma	Dibyakanti	Dipannita	Pragya	Ashish	Bakul

1500-1700 hrs	Mon	Shikha	Ankit	Nidhi	Anjali Priya	Akanksha	Shubham	Chandra Shekhar	Firdos	Ramesh
	Tues	Devanshu	Ankit	Nidhi	Sujithra	Akanksha	Shubham	Chandra Shekhar	Firdos	Ramesh
	Wed	Devanshu	Gagandeep	Yamini	Sujithra	Upma	Anshu Rani	Shivaksh	Devanshi	Saurabh
	Thu	Yamini	Gagandeep	Ashish	Uzma	Dibyakanti	Dipannita	Devanshi	Pragya	Saurabh
	Fri	Medha	Anjali Dixit	Anshu Rani	Uzma	Dibyakanti	Dipannita	Pragya	Ashish	Shivaksh

Dry Laboratory description:

Simulations of random pattern generation as discussed in lecture class.

Download Laboratory report format for the dry lab - No change in format is acceptable, Please TYPE all your responses (including your Name, Entry No. and Lab group - as assigned at the bottom of this page)

Wet Laboratory description:

Buffers:

Week 1 - pH meter calibration, understanding micropipette operation, "see" 2 - 20 - 100 ml, titration of a known buffer with 1 M NaOH and 1M HCl - determine pKa.
Week 2 - pH meter calibration, titration of a known buffer with more than one pKa - determine pKa(s) and buffering ranges, start compiling results.
Week 3 - pH meter calibration, titration of an unknown buffer - determine pKa(s) and buffering range(s), compilation of results and lab reports.

Biomolecular Visualization - Bradford assay:

Week 1 - Spectrophotometer operations, experiments to prepare standard curve (including "set zero" operation), plotting of standard curve - measure protein amount in a given sample provided by TAs (the sample should not require any dilution). Students also learn how to prepare "protein extract" from leaves (5-10, provided by TAs) using mortar and pestel.
Week 2 - TAs provide fresh leaves to students, extraction of protein using mortar and pestle, preparation of standard curve - measure protein amount extracted from known number of leaves (correct dilution may have to be determined). TAs pool all the protein extracts from a group, divide the extract into two tubes - labeled with date and group numbers of students: 1 tube to be stored at 4 deg C and other to be stored at room temperature. Start compiling results.
Week 3 - TAs provide fresh leaves (same number as in Week 2) to students, extraction of protein using mortar and pestle, preparation of standard curve - measure protein amount extracted from known number of leaves. Compare the protein amount with the two samples stored in Week 2 (TAs to provide the previous samples on each bench). Compilation of results and lab reports.

Microscopy:

Week 1 - Microscope operations, sample preparation (glass slide, cover slip), observation of a plant cells (samples prepared from leaves/onions as instructed by TAs) under different magnifications. Drawing of the observed features at different magnifications.
Week 2 - Cheek cell extraction and mounting on slides. Observation of cheek cells under different magnifications and drawing of the features at different magnifications. Sensitivity of cheek cells to different concentrations of NaCl (at least 3 concentrations - one hypotonic, one isotonic and one hypertonic solution). Drawing of the observed results.
Week 3 - Preparation and observation of fresh samples of cheek cells and plant cells. Comparing responses of plant cells and cheek cells to the three concentrations of NaCl used in Week 2. Drawing the observations.

Laboratory reports (for wet labs): Instructions and Formats

Labs are in 3 week cycles - e.g. you spend 3 weeks doing experiments on buffers, 3 weeks doing experiments on Bradford assay and 3 weeks doing experiments on microscopy.
After three weeks, rotations for lab groups occur - those who have done buffers now spend the next 3 weeks doing Bradford assay, those who have done Bradford assay now spend the next 3 weeks doing microscopy, and, those who have done microscopy now spend the next 3 weeks doing buffers.
If you miss a lab, there is NO make-up. Just continue with the experiments that are already going on as per regular schedule. With proper focus and effort, you will learn what has to be learnt!
Lab reports must be submitted ONLY in the formats given below (only 1 page per group per one cycle of 3 weeks after the completion of 3rd week).
Lab reports must be submitted to YOUR TAs AFTER completion of the 3rd week of experiments in any given cycle of 3 weeks. For example, if you are doing buffer experiments for 3 weeks, then in the 4th week you come for your lab to start the Bradford experiment and submit your lab reports to your buffer TAs.
TAs will NOT accept lab reports before or beyond YOUR two hour lab window. For example, if your lab group is Mon 1300-1500 hrs and you finish a 3 week cycle on 7th March, then TAs will accept your lab report ONLY within the first 15 minutes of your next lab on 14th March - not before 1300 hrs and not beyond 1315 hrs on 14th March.
Following are the formats for lab reports"