The MCB Professional Science Master's (PSM) program is offering 1 and 2 credit modules during May term and summer session 2017. Modules span 2 or more days and are either seminar, computational, or laboratory. The laboratory modules combine hands-on experience with lectures on theoretical background. Any number and combination of modules may be taken and the credits applied toward undergraduate or graduate degrees. Graduate tuition rates apply.
The modules are listed below. Please contact elaine.mirkin@uconn.edu for permission numbers. Seats are limited.
Please keep the following in mind. A request for a permission number and registration in any one of the courses is a commitment to complete the course. Please do not request a permission number until you are sure of your commitment. All of the courses are very popular and once a permission number is issued that spot is no longer available to another student.
Information on graduate tuition and fees for summer session can be found on the Summer Session website under Dates and Fees. Please note all payment and refund deadlines.
INTRODUCTORY LEVEL (Appropriate for any student, including those with little or no research experience.)
MCB 5490-20 Industrial Insights
Topic - Principles of Quality Assurance in Pharmaceutical Drug Development and Manufacturing
Dates June 3, June 11, June 17, and June 24, 2017, 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM
1 creditEnrollment Limit 6Instructor Mark LongoRoom BPB 201Instructor Consent Required June 3, 2017: 9:30 AM – 2:30 PMJune 10, 2017: 9:30 AM – 2:30 PMJune 17, 2017: 9:30 AM – 2:30 PMJune 24, 2017: 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM Contact elaine.mirkin@uconn.edu for permission number. MCB PSM students have priority enrollment. Highly recommended for students interested in careers in biotechnology or pharmaceuticals, the course will focus on information relevant to biotechnology and pharmaceutical product development, testing and manufacturing. Students will have ample opportunity to meet and interact with experts from industry. The instructors are from Boehringer-Ingelheim. Lunch will be provided by the MCB PSM program.The module Operations of a Microbiology Laboratory is only offered once every two years. This module offers specific training in the aspects of running or working in a microbiology lab. The biosafety risks associated with many microbiology labs warrant specific training.MCB 5670-20 Theory and Practice of Laboratory Techniques in Microbiology Topic – Operations of a Microbiology Laboratory
Dates May 22 and May 23, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM; May 24, 2017, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
1 credit
Enrollment Limit 6
Instructors Joerg Graf and Emily McClure
Room TLS 201
Instructor Consent Required
May 22, 2017: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
May 23, 2017: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
May 24, 2017: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PMContact elaine.mirkin@uconn.edu for permission number. MCB PSM students have priority enrollment. Students will be trained in techniques and the use of equipment of particular importance for microbiologists. This includes the use of anaerobic chambers, autoclaves, automatic plate pourer, degassing stations and CO2 incubators. Students will learn aseptic technique, aerobic, microaerophilic and anaerobic culturing techniques, biosafety considerations, preparation of media and long-term storage of strains.MCB 5672-01 Applied BioinformaticsDates May 12 and May 15, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM; May 16, 2017 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM 1 credit
Enrollment Limit 6
Instructor Jonathan Klassen
Room TLS 263
Instructor Consent Required
May 12, 2017: 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
May 15, 2017: 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
May 16, 2017: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PMContact elaine.mirkin@uconn.edu for permission number. MCB PSM students have priority enrollment. In this class students will be trained in using bioinformatics to analyze next generation sequencing data. Students will learn how to navigate the UNIX environment, execute program on servers, prepare next generation sequencing data for analysis, and assemble sequences using microbial genomes as an example.INTERMEDIATE LEVEL (Requires prior research experience, completion of MCB 5427 Introduction to Molecular Biology Techniques, or permission of instructor.)MCB 5427-50 Laboratory Techniques in Functional Genomics Topic – Introduction to Cell Culture Techniques
Dates June 19, June 20, June 21, 2017, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
1 credit
Enrollment Limit 4
Instructor: Charles Giardina and Marina Bleiler
Room BPB 323
Instructor Consent Required
June 19, 2017: 9:00 AM-5:00 PMJune 20, 2017: 9:00 AM-5:00 PMJune 21, 2017: 9:00 AM-5:00 PMContact elaine.mirkin@uconn.edu for permission number. MCB PSM students have priority enrollment. Prerequisite is MCB 5427 Introduction to Molecular Biology Techniques, relevant research lab experience, or permission of instructor. Participants learn the fundamentals of cell culture. Main topics covered include cell culture media formulation and filtration sterilization, aseptic approaches to cell dissociation and passaging, handling biosafety 2 level cell lines, cell freezing and stock retrieval, monolayer cell transfection methods, and cell viability tests on 96 well plates.The module Operations of the Illumina MiSeq is the prerequisite for the module Characterization of Microbial Communities by 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing. Preferential enrollment in Operations of the Illumina MiSeq will be given to those students who enroll in both modules, Operations of the Illumina MiSeq and Characterization of Microbial Communities by 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing.MCB 5670-16 Theory and Practice of Laboratory Techniques in Microbiology Topic – Operations of the Illumina MiSeq
Dates May 9, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM; May 10 and May 11, 2017, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
1 credit
Enrollment limit 6
Instructors: Kendra Maas
Room Beach 205
Instructor Consent Required
May 9, 2017: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
May 10, 2017: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
May 11, 2017: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Contact elaine.mirkin@uconn.edu for permission number. MCB PSM students have priority enrollment. Prerequisite is MCB 5427 Introduction to Molecular Biology Techniques, relevant research lab experience, or permission of instructor. In this module, students will receive training in how to operate an Illumina MiSeq, Agilent Tapestation, and Qubit. Theory of sequencing by synthesis, quality assessment, and data analysis will be discussed. Participants will be given an overview of the different applications for the MiSeq that include small genome sequencing, microbial transcriptome sequencing, and ultra-deep 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The successful completion of this module is required for users to gain independent access to the MiSeq.
ADVANCED LEVEL (Please see prerequisite requirements for the individual course listed below.)
MCB 5671-02 Advanced Theory and Practice of Laboratory Techniques in Microbiology
Topic – Characterization of Microbial Communities by 16S rRNA gene sequencing Dates: June 1, June 2, June 5, June 6, and June 7, 2017, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
2 credits
Enrollment limit 6
Instructors: Joerg Graf, Jacqueline (Jacqui) Benjamino and Andrea Suria
Rooms TLS 201 (June 1 and June 2, 2017) and BPB 401 (June 5, June 6, and June 7, 2017)
Instructor Consent Required
June 1, 2017: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PMJune 2, 2017: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PMJune 5, 2017: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PMJune 6, 2017: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PMJune 7, 2017: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PMContact elaine.mirkin@uconn.edu for permission number. MCB PSM students have priority enrollment. Prerequisite is MCB 5670 Operations of the Illumina MiSeq or permission from the instructor. In this module, each student will sequence the 16S rRNA genes of a microbial community. Students will learn how to prepare the libraries for running on the MiSeq and analyze the data after the run is completed. The data analysis involves a QIIME pipeline specifically modified for using the larger Illumina data sets.
For more information, contact: Elaine Mirkin at elaine.mirkin@uconn.edu