Molecular biology
Undergraduate · Biology
Syllabus focus
Topics typically covered
Standard syllabus
Information molecules
- Genome organization in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
- Chromatin structure and epigenetic marks (intro)
- DNA replication fidelity and repair pathways
- Recombination and mobile elements survey
- RNA types and processing (splicing, capping, polyA)
- Translation machinery and genetic code details
Regulation
- Transcriptional regulation in bacteria (operons)
- Eukaryotic promoters, enhancers, and transcription factors
- Post-transcriptional and translational control
- Noncoding RNAs survey
- Systems-level gene regulatory networks (intro)
- Synthetic circuits as teaching models (survey)
Experimental molecular biology
- Cloning workflows and vectors
- PCR, qPCR, and primer design principles
- Restriction mapping and electrophoresis
- Sequencing technologies survey (Sanger/NGS)
- CRISPR and genome editing overview
- Protein expression and purification intro
STEM / applied
Lab reasoning
- Troubleshooting failed PCR/clones
- Interpreting gels, traces, and IGV-style views
- Designing controls for knockdown/editing experiments
- Quantifying gene expression from given data
- Biosafety levels and dual-use awareness
- Notebook standards for molecular work
Applications
- Molecular diagnostics and biomarkers
- Recombinant protein therapeutics survey
- Forensics STR concepts (intro)
- Metagenomics awareness
- Reading methods sections of papers
- Capstone: design a molecular assay on paper
Notes
Often follows genetics/cell bio. Tool emphasis (wet lab vs computational) follows the department.