Syllabus

Module I: pH and buffers - Principles, types and applications of pH meter, Nernst equation, handerson Haselbach equations. Biological significance of pH and buffering reagent.
Module II: Colorimeter – Beer-Lambert’s law and its deviations, analysis of different biomolecules, especially the protein using Bradford Assay & Direct method Polymerase Chain Reaction and its application in biological sciences.
Module III: Separation techniques I – Dialysis (including Ultrafiltration) Centrifugation – differential and density gradient centrifugation Size exclusion chromatography electrophoresis Iso-electric focusing.
Module IV: Separation Techniques II – Precipitation (Salting-in/out, temperature and pH based) and its application in the separation of biomolecules for analysis purposes.
Module V: Practices to handle different pathogenic microbes and ways of disposal/sterilizing different biological/medical wastes.

The main objective, in brief, of the course is to help life science students understand the basic rules and working principles of most basic instruments being used by biologists working in very different ranges of biological sciences. The course objective became even more important after the coronavirus pandemic. Hence, the specific objectives of the course are to:
1. Understand the principle of the pH/hydronium ion measurement and its importance in biological sciences,

2. Understand the working principle of the colorimeter and its application in the analysis of different cells’ propagation in culture or proteins in solution,

3. Understand the principle of centrifugation and its application in the separation, analysis, and concentration of the biological solution,
4. Understand different separation techniques with a focus on size-based separation and its applications in pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries,

5. Understand different levels of precautions to be taken against pathogenic bacteria with varying pathogenicity and ways of sterilization.

After completion of the course, the student will be able to:
? Understand the underlying principle of different tools (discussed in the subject) used in different protocols,
? Apply different instrumentation for their biological research project,
? Improvised the technique as per the need of the project/experiment, and
? Adopt different improvised physical and/or chemical approaches while handling different pathogenic living systems for their future research.

Keith Wilson, John Walker, Principles and Techniques of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cambridge University Press , ISBN-978052173167

Wester John G, Bioinstrumentation, Wiley & Sons , ISBN-97881265136

Plummer David T, Introduction to practical biochemistry, Tata McGraw Hill , ISBN-9780070994874

Charles R Cantor, Paul R. Schimmel, Biophysical Chemistry (Techniques for the study of biological structure and function), (part II), W. H. Freeman and Company , ISBN-13: 978-0716711902