Biotechnology for the 21st Century (Session 1)

*Taught Online for Summer 2020*  This course is designed to provide a stimulating introduction to the world of biotechnology. Starting with an overview of the basic concepts of molecular biology and genetics that serve as a foundation for biotechnology, the course will segue into the various applied fields of biotechnology. Lectures and the corresponding activities will include microbial biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology, biofuels, cloning, bioremediation, medical biotechnology, DNA fingerprinting and forensics. These activities have been modified to adapt to online teaching and learning this summer, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The typical hands on experiments in wet labs will be replaced with virtual tutorials on techniques, critical data analysis, reading and discussing scientific literature and possibly presenting important findings in a “virtual poster session”. The goal of this course is to provide students with an appreciation of important biotechnology breakthroughs, the techniques involved and the associated bioethics issues.