CAPSTONE RESEARCH PROJECT IN MICROBIOLOGY

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: MICROBIO 527 Course Designation: Core GenEd - Communication & Literacy Comm QR - Communication B Breadth - Biological Science Level - Advanced L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Demonstrate proficiency in bacterial culturing, PCR, gel electrophoresis, Sanger sequencing, DNA quantitation, analytical micropipetting, and BLAST analysis. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Complete a next-generation or genomics sequencing project on an under-study microbial environment and use bioinformatics tools to analyze large datasets of DNA and/or RNA sequences. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Design and troubleshoot experiments, isolate targeted microbes, or microbial groups, from a given environment. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Cultivate the ability to work in teams by designing and troubleshooting a team experiment and presenting their progress and findings throughout the semester. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Improve scientific writing by preparing and revising drafts of a research proposal. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Improve oral scientific communication by presenting powerpoint and poster presentations on scientific research. Audience: Undergraduate 7. Explore ethical dilemmas in science through writing, discussion, and case studies. Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Demonstrate proficiency in bacterial culturing, PCR, gel electrophoresis, Sanger sequencing, DNA quantitation, analytical micropipetting, and BLAST analysis. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Complete a next-generation or genomics sequencing project on an under-study microbial environment and use bioinformatics tools to analyze large datasets of DNA and/or RNA sequences. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Design and troubleshoot experiments, isolate targeted microbes, or microbial groups, from a given environment. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Cultivate the ability to work in teams by designing and troubleshooting a team experiment and presenting their progress and findings throughout the semester. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Improve scientific writing by preparing and revising drafts of a research proposal. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Improve oral scientific communication by presenting powerpoint and poster presentations on scientific research. Audience: Undergraduate 7. Explore ethical dilemmas in science through writing, discussion, and case studies. Audience: Undergraduate