In Vitro Lab
by Prof. Stefaan Werbrouck
About the Course
The master in applied bioscience will, as professional or consumer, inevitably be confronted with transgenic organisms and their products. This introductory course wants to provide insight in the way transgenic bacteria, plants and animals are created and characterized. A realistic view is presented on the problems, current realizations and future prospects of biotechnology. The interests of the different involved parties are also discussed. We focalize on plants, but implementations of transgenic animals and microorganisms are also treated.
Lecturers
Prof. Stefaan Werbrouck
Contents
THEORY:
Identification and cloning of genes, transformation techniques, genetic characterization of transformed plants and animals (blotting, PCR, …), current applications in plant and animal sector, risks assessment of transgenic organisms and products, biosafety reglementation. Further applications such as DNA fingerprinting, cloning of animals, DNA-chips.
EXERCISES:
Basic techniques such as use of micropipette, transformation of E. coli and tobacco, GUS and GFP evaluation, PCR, gel electrophoresis, demonstrations with transgenic plants.
FINAL COMPETENCES:
1 KNOWLEDGE & INSIGHT: To define Biotechnology terminology
2 KNOWLEDGE & INSIGHT: To discuss and explaining actual agrobiotechnological techniques
3 KNOWLEDGE & INSIGHT: To summarize GMO regulations
4 KNOWLEDGE & INSIGHT: To indicate the different steps of the legal procedure concerning testing and applying GMOs
5 SKILLS: To compare biotechnical techniques and to evaluate them critically
6 SKILLS: To analyse the limitations of modern agrobiotechnology
7 SKILLS: To substantiate pros and contras of specific GMOs
8 SKILLS: To form and an own opinion, based on scientific facts
9 ATTITUDES: To pay attention to the public opinion
10 ATTITUDES: To show an own opinion, to empathize with another point of view