LABORATORY IN APPLIED & INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY

 

                                              Schedule for Biology 403    SPRING 2002

 

Dr. Carol Litchfield                                                   

Office 3035 DK

Office Hrs:      Wed 11-12:30 &                  Grade:700 points from Papers (100 pts each)                                                by Appointment                              100 points Quiz

clitchfi@gmu.edu                                                   200 points Final

                                              1000 Total Points

 

Week #          Date                                       Activities

 

 1                     1/28    Set up biodeterioration experiment and perform time zero analyses

 

 2                     2/4       Set up biofilm formation and inoculate Sulfate Reducers/Anaerobes doing plate counts using the spread drop plate method; examine biodeterioration.

 

 3                     2/11    Inoculate plates from biofilm; do INT and stains; examine biodeterioration

 

 4                     2/18    Read first set of biodeterioration; isolate predominant colony types from biofilm plates; do oxidase/wet mount/gram stain on them-at least 8/team

 

 5                     2/25    Read Sulfate reduction/Anaerobe experiment; use contact slides;  confirm last week's gram and oxidase results after being sure that you have isolated pure colonies. Inoculate a fresh 1/10 NA plate and streak for isolation.

 

FRI      INOCULATE A TSA PLATE FOR A LAWN OF GROWTH after checking the gram stain and oxidase reaction.

 

 6                     3/4       Read contact plates; inoculate BIOLOG plate (1 per person) and read after 24 and 48 hours; set up water experiment and do follow-up during this week; perform plate counts on industrial process waters using spread-drop plate method

 

 7                     3/11    SPRING BREAK

 

 8                     3/18    Quiz; finish plate counts, etc. from water testing and complete any other

 tests.

 

 9                     3/25    Finish biodeterioration experiment - Week 9; Turn in TEAM Water Analysis Paper Title and Results and Tables/Figures ONLY.

 

10                    4/1       Biocides: Efficacy Testing; Air Sampling; Comments on the Draft Water Analysis Paper will be handed back.

 

11                    4/8       Biocides: Efficacy testing; Turn in Team Water Analysis Paper AND Turn in TEAM Biodeterioration Paper.

 

12                    4/15    Microbiology of Food and Cosmetics: Tests to be selected from among the following - LAL, INT, ATP, plate counts, PCR Turn in TEAM Surface Biofouling Paper.

.

13                    4/22    Air Sampling; Turn in TEAM Biofilm Formation Paper.

 

14                    4/29    Finish air sampling - wet mounts/stains/etc. for tentative identification; count plates for biocide testing.-  Turn in TEAM Biocide Paper.

 

15                    5/6       FINAL EXAM AND ALL REPORTS DUE (Food & Cosmetics & Air Sampling)

 

NOTE:  Although there is a required lab book and this syllabus is based on that book, I reserve the right to modify/change experiments depending on the number of students in the lab and the availability of new technologies.

 

GOALS

 

This course is taught as a series of projects using realistic samples and cultures.  The goals of this course are to acquaint students with techniques they would be expected to know if applying for microbiological positions in the manufacturing, chemical, or biotechnological industries or graduate school in nonmedical areas.  An equally important goal is to train students in scientific writing via the use of their laboratory reports.  In addition they should develop interactive skills by working on a team to solve a problem or perform an experiment and learn how to manage their time and organize a project.

 

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS REQUIRED

 

It is assumed that each student has mastered the basic skills from General Microbiology courses of: aseptic technique, plating, gram stain, use of the microscope, dilutions, culture identification as this course will build on these skills and reinforce them.  In addition, students will be expected to learn new methodologies for detecting microorganisms, use the Internet for checking electronic data bases for journal articles, use word processing (including spell check).  Proper English will be considered in evaluating laboratory reports.