Course Lecturer Name(s): Kafi James-Lewis, Candice Benjamin, Reeba Lewis, Kwami Jones
Course Director Name: Kafi James-Lewis
Course Lecturer(s) Contact Information: jmcdona1@sgu.edu
Course Director Contact Information: kjames@sgu.edu
Course Lecturer(s) Office Hours: jmcdona1@sgu.edu
Course Director Office Hours: Fri 1PM -2PM
Course Lecturer(s) Office Location: Biochemistry department
Course Director Office Location: Biochemistry department
Course Support: Angel Charles, Jenny Mcdonald
Course Management tool: To learn to use Sakai, the Course management tool, access the link https://apps.sgu.edu/members.nsf/mycoursesintro.pdf
Course Description:
CHEM451 is a 1-credit biochemistry laboratory course in the biology/ premedical/foundation program at SGU. Students are expected to have a basic knowledge of pre-med biology and chemistry. This course is the laboratory component for CHEM450.
Course Objectives:
- Develop key technical skills in using laboratory equipment, tools, materials, computer software
- Demonstrate analytical and biochemical laboratory techniques
- Apply problem solving skills to interpret experimentally derived data and communicate this information in a clear and organized manner in the form of written lab reports/data sheets
- Understand general safety techniques required in a biochemical laboratory.
- Demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills.
Student Learning Outcomes:
- Describe Beer-Lamberts Law and principle of spectrophotometry
- Apply Beer-Lamberts Law to determine concentrations
- Interpret standard graphs and absorption spectra
- Perform serial dilutions and apply dimensional analysis to report final concentrations
- Describe principle of protein quantifications using Biuret method
- Understand the principles and applications of thin layer chromatography
- Interpret thin layer chromatography results
- Understand principles of glucose estimation
- Analyze and interpret enzyme kinetic data
- Understand the principles of gel electrophoresis.
Technical Skills acquired during this course:
- Proper use of a micropipette
- Spectrophotometry
- Gel electrophoresis
- TLC chromatography
- Enzyme Assays
- Protein Biuret Assay
- Glucose Oxidase Assay
- Protein Staining
Program Outcomes Met By This Course:
BIOL-PLO1: Apply the scientific process for conducting laboratory and diagnostic experiments, testing hypothesis, interpreting data and communicating results.
BIOL-PLO2: Apply knowledge of the basic structures and fundamental processes of life at the molecular, cellular and organismal levels.
BIOL-PLO3: Apply knowledge of the structure and function of the human body to health issues.
BIOL-PLO4: Apply knowledge of the interaction of atoms, molecules and biochemical processes that define organic and inorganic matter.
BIOL-PLO5: Demonstrate effective communication of scientific knowledge.
SAS Grading Scale: Grades will be assigned as follows:
A = 89.5% or better
B+ = 84.5 - 89.4%
B = 79.5 - 84.4%
C+ = 74.5 - 79.4%
C = 69.5 - 74.4%
D = 64.5 - 69.4%
F = 64.4% or less
Course Materials:
Text: Laboratory manual, notes and procedures posted on Sakai.
Course Grading Requirement:
Online practice quizzes for professionalism points will be via Sakai.
Experimental data sheets* 50%
Lab report 10%
Lab Exam 35%
Professionalism 5%
* The best 5 of 6 data sheet grades will be used in computing your grade.
THERE WILL BE NO MAKE UP LABS.
Failure to submit practical files will result in an automatic incomplete grade as a final grade.
Course Requirements:
Students are expected to complete the practical, report observations, record results, complete all calculations and confirm that the results agree that those in the literature by means of library/internet research. Experimental data sheets must be submitted at the end of each practical session.
One formal lab report will be submitted. The report should be written using the following headings in the order given.
- -Title page (Your name, group #, group members’ names, date, title of lab). -Aim/Objective
- -Introduction
- -Equipment/Reagent
- -Method/procedure (written in the past tense and numbered)
- -Results/observations (including calculations, tables, and graphs)
- -Conclusion
- -Sources of Error
- -Further discussion*
- -Reference cited page*
*The “further discussion” section should include some reference to the clinical significance of the experimental procedure. Reference should also be made of the normal range of values expected for a patient and the possible consequences of values outside of that range. The source of this and other relevant information must be cited Any of the common formats may be used, and a minimum of 3 citations are required.
Note: Internet references MUST cite a primary source (i.e. book, journal)
Laboratory reports should NOT
- -include photocopies of references
- -include material downloaded from the Internet
- -exceed five (6) typewritten pages (not counting the title page)
Course Schedule:
CHEM 451 Biochemistry Lab Spring 2022
Labs will be live, live-streamed and recorded
- Thursday Jan 20 Sci Lab 11:30 am Introduction to CHEM 451K. James Lewis
- Thursday Jan 27 Sci Lab 11:30 am Micro pipetting Techniques K. James Lewis
- Tuesday Feb 1 BLH 2:30 pm Pre-Lab #1 Beer-Lambert’s Law K. Jones
Thursday Feb 3 Sci Lab 11:30 am Lab # 1 Beer-Lambert’s Law K. Jones
Practice online quiz 1 opens Feb 3 – Feb 10 @ 11:50 pm
- No Labs Exam Week
- Tuesday Feb 15 BLH 2:30 pm Pre-Lab # 2 Biuret Protein determination R. Lewis
Thursday Feb 17 Sci Lab 11:30 am Lab # 2 Biuret Protein determination
Practice online quiz 2 opens Feb 17 – Feb 24 @ 11:50 pm
- Tuesday Feb 22 BLH 2:30 pm Pre-Lab #3 Thin Layer Chromatography K. Jones
Thursday Feb 24 Sci Lab 11:30 am Lab # 3 Thin Layer Chromatography K. Jones
Practice online quiz 3 opens Feb 24 – Mar 3 @ 11:50 pm
- Tuesday Mar 1 BLH 2:30 pm Pre-Lab #4 Glucose Oxidase Teddy Ikolo
Thursday Mar 3 Sci Lab 11:30 am Lab # 4 Glucose OxidaseTeddy Ikolo
Practice online quiz 4 opens Mar 3 – Mar 10 @ 11:50 pm
- No Labs Exam Week
- Tuesday Mar 15 BLH 2:30 pm Pre-Lab # 5 Enzyme Kinetics K. James Lewis
Thursday Mar 17 Sci Lab 11:30 am Lab # 5Enzyme Kinetics K. James Lewis
Practice online quiz 5 opens Mar 17- Mar 24 @ 11:50 pm
- Tuesday Mar 22 BLH 2:30 pm Pre-Lab # 6 Protein Electrophoresis C. Benjamin
Thursday Mar 24 Sci Lab 11:30 am Lab # 6
Protein Electrophoresis C. Benjamin Practice online quiz 6 opens Mar 24 – Mar 31 @ 11:50 pm - No Labs
- No Labs Exam Week
- Tuesday Apr 12 BLH 2:30 pm Discussion on Lab Report and Review of Labs
- Tuesday Apr 19 TBA TBA Final Lab Exam All
- Thursday Apr 28 Lab Report due
School of Arts and Sciences Master Syllabi — Info for All Sections
Academic Integrity
The St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020) states as follows:
“Plagiarism is regarded as a cardinal offense in academia because it constitutes theft of the work of someone else, which is then purported as the original work of the plagiarist. Plagiarism draws into disrepute the credibility of the Institution, its faculty, and students; therefore, it is not tolerated” (p. 48).
Plagiarism also includes the unintentional copying or false accreditation of work, so double check your assignments BEFORE you hand them in.
Be sure to do good, honest work, credit your sources and reference accordingly and adhere to the University’s Honor Code. Plagiarism and cheating will be dealt with very seriously following the university’s policies on Plagiarism as outlined in the Student Manual.
Your work may be subject to submission to plagiarism detection software, submission to this system means that your work automatically becomes part of that database and can be compared with the work of your classmates.
The St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020) states as follows:
“Students are expected to attend all classes and or clinical rotations for which they have registered. Although attendance may not be recorded at every academic activity, attendance may be taken randomly. Students’ absence may adversely affect their academic status as specified in the grading policy. If absence from individual classes, examinations, and activities, or from the University itself is anticipated, or occurs spontaneously due to illness or other extenuating circumstances, proper notification procedures must be followed. A particular course may define additional policies regarding specific attendance or participation” (p. 9).
The St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020) states as follows:
“All matriculated students are expected to attend all assigned academic activities for each course currently registered. Medical excuses will be based on self-reporting by students. Students who feel they are too sick to take an examination or other required activity on a specific day must submit the online SAS medical excuse, which is available on Carenage. Students are only allowed two such excuses a year. Upon consultation with the Director of University Health Service, the third excuse will result in a mandatory medical leave of absence. The policies regarding make-up examinations are at the option of the Course Director” (p.46).
For additional specific examination policies and procedures, refer to the St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020), pages 31 through 37.
The St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020) states as follows:
“A student with a disability or disabling condition that affects one or more major life activities, who would like to request an accommodation, must submit a completed application form and supporting documentation to the Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services (SAAS) located in the Dean of Students Office. It is highly recommended that students applying for accommodations do so at least one month before classes begin to allow for a more efficient and timely consideration of the request. If a fully completed application is not submitted in a timely fashion, an eligibility determination may not be made, and accommodations, where applicable, may not be granted prior to the commencement of classes and/or examinations” (p. 8).
It is the responsibility of the student to read and understand the policies, laws, rules and procedures that while they could affect your grade for a course, have not been specifically outlined in the course syllabus. These are contained in the St. George’s University Student Manual.