What are the most usual laboratory practices and techniques learnt and done in a biology degree? I know it can vary from university to university so Im pretty open in that matter. Can anyone link me a list or something?
Thank you
>>7775115
It'll vary based on your concentration. In microbiology, laboratory classes basically get your feet wet.
>Intro to Micro Lab
Pipetting
Aseptic technique
Media inoculation
Slide preparation
Biochemical identification of microbes
>Micro Lab II
Media preparation
DNA extraction, purification, and quantification
Transformation protocols
Bacterial culture
>Food Microbiology Lab
This was basically application of techniques learned in Intro Micro lab to identify foodborne pathogens. The only difference is we used a stomacher to homogenize food samples before spreading on plates.
Honestly, don't stress the molecular techniques. Just make sure you can pipette worth a damn, work a scale, and your aseptic technique is straight. Also, be sure you can do basic lab math. Goddammit, undergrad research volunteers can't calculate anything worth a damn. If you can do those four things, you'll be all set to learn the more nuanced shit you'll learn while working in a lab.
Basically you'll be micropipetting different substances.
>>7775115
In terms of broad spectrum?
>pipette skills
>inoculating an agar plate
>centrifuging
>that rumbly thing where it mixes shit better than your incompetent ass could
>>7775636
>that rumbly thing where it mixes shit better than your incompetent ass could
VORTEX son. Be careful not to use it when separating plasmids from chromosomal DNA.
>>7776444
>he fell for the plasmid prep memes
I vortex my preps all the time, it doesn't do shit to your DNA.
>>7775115
Don't unplug the freezer.
>>7775115
centrifuges
thermalcyclers
electrophoresis
cell culturing
and some other stuff I do on the daily in research but I am microbio and not a general bio
general bio you will probably
sometimes micropipette stuff
cut out paper things and arrange them
>>7775264
>Goddammit, undergrad research volunteers can't calculate anything worth a damn.
This is no joke, my current professor I work for picked me up literally due to the fact I enjoy doing math and stats as a hobby and not a single person in his lab could even do general calculus (all female lab except me, microbio l o l) and I do all the math while teaching them and do my own research
get a good grasp of math/chemistry and you will get far in biology since most people are there because they dont have to do much math
>>7776827
Topkek.
>>7775115
Good lists, nothing really to add for lab sections.
I would say that you'll get your experience working in a lab as an undergrad, so that's really what will carry you (techniques and practices and projects and what not) to the next step.
>>7775115
Tying down small animals and dissecting them, scalpel techniques, skinning.
>>7776792
Haha, you got me there mate ;^)
Is anyone else triggered by the fact that the guy in OP's pic isn't wearing gloves?
>>7778610
I'm not anymore. When I worked in biophysics other groups we shared labspace with would not wear gloves inside the hoods. Boggles my mind to this day.
>>7778610
Nobody wears gloves in the lab, nerd
>>7776859
>cut out paper things and arrange them
Jesus fuck, is this accurate. Get ready to count m&m's and beads.
>>7775264
>tfw my degree requires high level stats course and up to calc III
>>7778610
Who says it's a hazard day?
Not every lab handles hazardous chemicals.
>>7779968
I forgot that calculus 3 was a physical skill that was exercised in a laboratory environment.