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Module Specifications..

Current Academic Year 2023 - 2024

Please note that this information is subject to change.

Module Title Bioanalytical Practicals I
Module Code BE353
School School of Biotechnology
Module Co-ordinatorSemester 1: Konstantinos Gkrintzalis
Semester 2: Konstantinos Gkrintzalis
Autumn: Konstantinos Gkrintzalis
Module TeachersPaul Cahill
Jiafu Wang
Denise Harold
Konstantinos Gkrintzalis
Janosch Heller
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 5
Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None
Repeat examination
Array
Description

The purpose of this module is to provide students with the skills and understanding necessary for handling and quantitation of micro-organisms in a laboratory environment. To this end, you will work through Standard Operating Procedures commonly used in food and water microbiology and use procedures for surfaces to quantify microbial contamination. Additionally, you will use standard biochemical techniques to purify a protein from egg. This is a continuously assessed laboratory module and attendance is compulsory and will be monitored.

Learning Outcomes

1. Analyse food and water samples for microbes and use these findings to determine the quality of food and water samples.
2. Culture microbes in batch and continuous culture, graphically analyse the results and use these to calculate microbial growth parameters.
3. Carry out a sequential 'multistep' protein purification scheme including ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography and calculate yield and purification.
4. Write up reports, to be viewed by an experimental scientist and by the general public, detailing their experimental findings and the conclusions that may be drawn from them.



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Laboratory24Microbiology laboratory
Laboratory24Biochemistry laboratory
Independent Study77Write-up of laboratory reports
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Assay for lyzozyme activity and protein

Preparation of crude lyzozyme from egg-white

Salt precipitation of lyzozyme by gel-filtration chromatography on sephadex G-100

Purification of 'partially-purified' lyzozyme by cation-exchange chromatography

Concentration of lyzozyme by reverse dialysis using solid polyethylene glycol

Analysis of lyzozyme fractions by native and SDS Polyacrylamide electrophoresis

Analysis of lyzozyme fractions and standards by Isoelectric focusing

Computer learning system for teaching the use of HPLC and its applications

Techniques to prepare and analyse samples for the HPLC analysis of drugs

Determination of molar growth yield in batch and continuous microbial fermentation

Food microbiology - analysis of samples by pour plates and spread plates

Water microbiology - analysis of samples by MPN and membrane filtration

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment100% Examination Weight0%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Report(s)Report on the quality of bathing or drinking water16%Week 2
Report(s)Report on the quality of food17%Week 2
Report(s)Assessment of the growth characteristics of model and actual microbial fermentations17%Week 2
Report(s)Report on protein purification50%Week 2
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
1 = A resit is available for all components of the module
2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module
3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
This module is category 2
Indicative Reading List

  • Harris & Angal: 1990, Protein purification methods,
  • Wardlaw: 0, Laboratory methods in Food and Dairy microbiology,
Other Resources

None
Programme or List of Programmes
ASBSc in Analytical Science
Date of Last Revision01-OCT-08
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