Aims & Learning Objectives: Aims: To give an overview of some of the commonly used techniques in cell biology and to provide an understanding of how these techniques are being applied to address current cell biological problems. After taking this course the student should be able to:
* Describe and explain the basic principles involved in each technique;
* Determine and explain when a technique should be used;
* Assess the strengths and weaknesses of each technique;
* Plan their time during the course of an experiment for maximal efficiency and optimal outcome.
Content: Lectures will cover the basic principles underlying the techniques of light and electron microscopy including immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation, cell culture, transfection of mammalian cell lines including considerations of types of promoters and cell type specific expression, subcellular fractionation and metabolic labelling. The practical content will include projects focused on transfection of mammalian cell lines, immunofluroescence, immunoblottting, and subcellular fractionation.
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