TABLE 4.

Student projects.

Sample Laboratory Projects	Level
Add an additional reagent to the pipetting lab and test the absorbance	Beginner
Develop a protocol to test pipetting accuracy using the scale	Beginner
Create new standard curves for various experiments used by the students	Beginner
Test the effect of freezing/thawing on GST’s activity	Beginner
Test the effect of the age of reagents on GST’s activity	Beginner
Place various dyes in the stacking gel to improve SDS-PAGE loading	Beginner
Test the effect of reduced blocking/primary/secondary times on the western blot	Beginner
Develop a protocol for using the plate reader for protein quantification	Intermediate
Compare the Bradford, Lowry, and other protein quantification assays	Intermediate
Develop a molecular weight standard curve for the size exclusion column used in the lab	Intermediate
Develop a thin layer chromatography protocol	Intermediate
Test various SDS-PAGE acrylamide concentrations to optimize the gels used in the lab	Intermediate
Purify genomic DNA from fruits and vegetables using household chemicals	Intermediate
Make the E. coli competent cells for the semester	Advanced
Determine the concentration of caffeine or tryptophan via spectrophotometry	Advanced
Develop a lab using the BCA method for protein quantification	Advanced
Clone a GST-GFP fusion protein, express it, purify it, and quantify it	Advanced
Determine the Km of GST	Advanced
Test the impact of inhibitors on GST’s activity	Advanced
Purify GST on an affinity column and develop a protocol for use in the lab	Advanced
Develop a lysozyme crystallization protocol	Advanced
Develop an ELISA protocol for GST	Advanced
Design PCR primers to a plasmid and amplify the gene insert used in the lab	Advanced
Generate and screen for mutant proteins via PCR and DNA sequencing	Advanced
Develop a cell culture lab	Advanced
Develop a lab using quantitative PCR	Advanced
Develop a bioinformatics lab	Advanced
Clone GST into a different vector using PCR, digestion, ligation, and transformation	Advanced