• Home
• About MCB 251
• Welcome
• Course Description
• UIUC Timetable Entry
• FAQs About the MCB Major
• Laboratory Exercises
• Laboratory Syllabus
• Honors Section Material
• Ex 1: Intro to Microbiology/Mol. Biol. Techniques
• Ex 2: UV Light and DNA Damage
• Ex 3: Transformation with Green Fluorescent Protein
• Ex 4: DNA Fingerprinting
• Ex 5: VNTR
• Ex 6: Isolation of Spontaneous Mutations
• Ex 7: Genetic Regulation
• pBR322 Exercise: Cloning and analysis of plasmid pBR322
• Instructor/TA Info
• Instructor Information
• Teaching Assistants
• Course Information
• Required/Recommanded Materials
• Course Add/Drop, Section Change
• When MCB 251 Classes Begin
• Proficiency Exam Information
• Exam & Conflict Exam Information
• Final Exam & Conflict Final Exam Information
• What To Do If You Must Be Absent
• Course Grading Structure
• Statement on Academic Integrity
• Forms
• Examinations
• Exam Dates
• Exam Room Assignments
• Exam Answer Keys
• Conflict Exam Request Form
• Conflict Final Exam Request Form
• Gradebook
• Latest Announcements
• Link to MCB 250
• LON-CAPA
• Forms

MCB Curriculum Policies

All students enrolled in a MCB course are assumed to have read and understood the MCB Curriculum Policies and will be expected to act accordingly.

MCB 251: Experimental Techniques in Molecular Biology.

Nicholas Kirchner (Course Coordinator) 217a Burrill Hall; kirchner@illinois.edu

Course Office:   127 Burrill Hall; 244-6239;

MCB 251 COURSE WEBSITE

Course Web site: www.life.illinois.edu/mcb/251

Course Gradebook: Gradebook Link

REQUIRED & RECOMMENDED MATERIALS

The following is a specific list of items required or recommended for MCB 251. These items should be available and should be listed correctly at the Illini Union Bookstore (IUB). Please pay careful attention to dates and editions when purchasing these items. Any items (other than those specifically named below) listed by bookstores as optional or recommended have not been previously approved by the course faculty.

REQUIRED TEXTS & SUPPLIES

1. "MCB 251 Laboratory Exercises: Experimental Techniques in Molecular Biology, Spring 2024"
   N. Kirchner, editor
   Stipes Publishing

2. Laboratory Notebook. You may also use an old chemistry lab notebook or any kind of paper notebook.
   

3. I-card, used to check out kits

4. Sharpie

RECOMMENDED TEXT

1. "Custom Achieve Molecular Biology" 2nd Edition
   by Cox and Griffiths, et al.
   Macmillan, 2022

SECTION CHANGE, ADD AND DROP INFORMATION

Students may add, drop, or change MCB 251 lab sections before 11:59 pm, Monday 29th January 2024.

Monday, 29th of January 2023 at 11:59 pm is the deadline for adding the course or changing sections in MCB 251

Students must at all times attend the laboratory sections in which they are currently enrolled. Students will not be allowed to sit in other sections at other times for any reason without permission from the Nick Kirchner.

Friday, March 8th, 2024 is the last day to drop the course or to elect the Credit/No Credit option.

To elect the Credit/No Credit option, students must apply in their College Office.

To drop the course after the drop deadline, students must petition a Dean in their college office and email petitions to Nicholas Kirchner, kirchner@illinois.edu for completion of attendance and grade information.

WHEN MCB 251 CLASSES BEGIN

MCB 251 laboratories will begin meeting in person on Monday the week of January 22nd 2024 and will meet in 164 Burrill Hall. Please check your course schedule to note the time, day, and location of your lab section.

EXAM AND CONFLICT EXAM INFORMATION

EXAM INSTRUCTIONS

1. During week 6 a midterm Exam will be given. The exam will be held Wednesday February 28th, 2024 from 7:00-9:00 pm.

2. The exam will be administered in person and take place in various rooms across campus. Room assignments for the midterm will be posted under the exam section on the course website at least 1 week prior to the exam date.

3. Bring your University photo ID, several sharp #2 pencils, and an eraser.

4. All personal belongings must be hung up on the hooks in the lab. The only thing you may have at your desk is a pencil and a basic calculator. No cell phones, scientific calculators, or any other electronic device are allowed at your desk. If you have anything other than the specified items with you during the exam you will automatically get a zero on the lab exam.

5. If you have a University course that conflicts with the exam, contact Nicholas Kirchner (kirchner@illinois.edu) or the MCB 251 staff in 127 Burrill Hall by 5:00 PM, the Friday prior to the exam week. See the Conflict Exam Instructions section for further details.

6. If you are ill or incapacitated on the day of an exam, you are urged to seek assistance at McKinley Health Center or elsewhere as needed, and to miss the exam (If available you will be offered a make- up exam or your score will be prorated if your absence is excused). Do not call your TA. If you choose to attend an exam while suffering from illness, and you complete the exam, that exam determines your score.

CONFLICT EXAM INSTRUCTIONS

1. A Conflict Exam will only be given to individuals who find themselves in one of the following situations:
   • Sporting events for University athletes and club team participants
   • Employment (if possible you should reschedule your work shift)
   • Travel or conferences associated with RSOs (not general meetings)
   • Travel associated with job or secondary school interviews (if possible schedule interviews around exams)
   

   Please note that you will not be granted a conflict exam for conflicts associated with educational enhancement opportunities because the University does not require us to grant conflicts for these requests (ie, Kaplan Courses, Princeton Review, IEMs, MCAT exam).
   

   Please email or bring written documentation supporting your claim of conflict and a copy of your course schedule to 127 Burrill Hall to be time/date stamped and placed in Nick Kirchner's mailbox. If you have a question about whether your conflict will qualify, please call the MCB Office in advance of the deadline.

2. All conflict exams will be offered throughout the day (9 am-6 pm) on Wednesday February 28th . You must take at least the lab exam or the final examination in MCB 251 in order to earn a letter grade in the course. If you are unable, the instructor will recommend that you drop or withdraw from the course.

FINAL EXAM AND CONFLICT FINAL EXAM INFORMATION

FINAL EXAM INSTRUCTIONS

1. The Final Exam will be administered during finals week May 3-10. The exact date and time will be announced in early April.

2. Bring your University photo ID.

3. Please do not bring to the exam any backpacks, purses, hats, bags, books, notes, papers, clipboards, musical instruments, or anything other than the items listed in number 3 above; you will be allowed to enter the exam room with these items, but they will be placed away from student seating during the exam. No one will be monitoring who deposits and collects these personal effects, so thefts and mistaken identification of belongings can occur. We urge you not to bring valuables to the exam room. Cell phones are prohibited. You will also be asked to place all jackets/coats completely under the chair in which you are seated. In the case that the floor of the exam room is wet, you will be allowed to place jackets/coats at the front or back of the room during the exam.

   The MCB 251 faculty/staff is not responsible for any of your personal belongings. We strongly suggest you do not bring them to the exam site.

4. In case of illness or personal emergency the day of the exam, contact a dean in your college. Only a dean can excuse a student from a final exam.

5. A conflict final exam will be given only for students who have met the requirements stated on the Conflict Final Exam Instructions page. Complete and submit a Conflict Final Request Form on the MCB 251 Web site before 5:00 PM on Wednesday, May 1st 2024 to arrange a conflict final exam.

CONFLICT FINAL EXAM INSTRUCTIONS

1. A Conflict Final Exam will only be given to individuals who find themselves in one of the following situations:

   • Students with three final exams scheduled within a 24 hour period as defined in Section 82.A.4). Final Examinations of the Code of Policies and Regulations Applying to All Students which can be found at https://studentcode.illinois.edu/article3/part2/3-201/.

   • Students who have a verified personal problem, and who have received written permission to take the MCB 251 conflict final exam from a dean in their college.

2. Any student with one or more of the above situations should use the MCB 251 Conflict Final Exam Request Form on the MCB 251 Web site and submit the form by 5:00 PM Wednesday, May 1st 2024. Students should feel free to contact the MCB 251 office with questions or concerns about conflict final exams.

3. All student requests will be reviewed and students will be contacted as soon as possible via telephone or e-mail regarding the status of their request. Qualified students will be informed of the Conflict Final Exam time and location on Thursday, May 2nd 2024 before 1:00 PM.

GENERAL INFORMATION & POLICIES OF MCB 251

1. Neither food nor drink is allowed in any of the laboratories; smoking/vaping is not allowed in the building.

2. Bare feet are not allowed in the laboratories. You must wear closed toe shoes at all times.

3. Long pants are required for every lab section. You must wear pants that cover your entire leg or you will be asked to leave lab and potentially lose points for that days lab exercise.

4. Students need their current University of Illinois photo ID for each lab so that they may check out kits of equipment and materials. Students who do not have their UIUC I-card may not be allowed to check out materials which are necessary to complete the laboratory exercises. MCB 251 Staff are not able to accept other forms of ID or personal items in exchange for kits of equipment and materials.

5. Coats (or extra apparel), backpacks, and bags must be hung on the hooks provided, and not left on benches, chairs or the floor.

6. The floor area must be completely clear.

7. Students must clean the labs after each exercise. This includes the lab tables, the sink, and, if necessary, the floor.

8. Computer software may not be copied. Software piracy is a crime.

9. Students may not make changes to computer settings, folders, or programs. Students may not load software to course computers.

10. Any student who does not adhere to the lab policies may be ejected from the lab, may be disallowed from participating in labs in this course, and may not receive a grade for work in those labs.

11. The course faculty and the TAs are in charge of the orderly conduct of labs and discussions and may exclude a student who does not comply with a reasonable request in this regard.

12. All students are assumed to have read and understood the Code Of Policies And Regulations Applying To All Students, University of Illinois, and will be expected to act accordingly.

    The Code is available online at: https://studentcode.illinois.edu/article1/

13. Concerns over exam grading, lab teaching or grading, and exam or lab absences should be addressed to Nick Kirchner.

14. The deadline for grade corrections on all items is one week after corrected items are returned or grades are received.

15. Reference letters and recommendation forms are to be submitted to the student's lab TA, whose evaluation will be reviewed and countersigned by a member of the course faculty.

16. The faculty and staff of MCB 251 are not responsible for any student personal belongings during examinations or class periods.

17. Laptops and cell phones are not allowed in the lab unless otherwise specified by MCB staff or TAs.

ATTENDANCE POLICIES

1. Attendance in lab is mandatory and will be recorded at every lab session. If you are absent from lab, you must notify Nick Kirchner via email (kirchner@illinois.edu) within 24 hours of your missed lab or exam in order to arrange a make-up lab, make-up work, or take a conflict exam if possible. Please note that missing assignments will result in missing scores that my be prorated at the end of the semster only if you have contacted Nick Kirchner within 24 hours of your absence. If you are not excused from your absence or no make up can be arranged, the instructor may recommend that you drop or withdraw from the course.

2. Students must attend their scheduled lab section unless they are assigned to a make-up lab.

3. Make-up labs are assigned by Nick Kirchner kirchner@illinois.edu ; TAs do NOT have the authority to schedule make-up labs. Only students who can provide an acceptable reason with supporting documentation for an absence will be eligible to make up a missed lab. Documentation should be dated and presented in writing to Nick Kirchner or put in his mailbox in 217a Burrill Hall. Make-up labs are not guaranteed to be available, as there is a limit to the number of students allowed in a lab session. If you have an acceptable reason for absence, we will make every effort to accommodate you.

4. TAs may not reschedule students to other lab sections, including their own. If you attend another lab section without the approval of Nick Kirchner, you will receive a zero for all work related to that lab exercise as well any work you were to submit on that day from the previous week’s lab.

5. All documentation regarding exam and lab absences should be emailed to Nick Kirchner kirchner@illinois.edu.

6. Regular class attendance is expected of all students at the University. (http://studentcode.illinois.edu/article1_part5_1-501.html)

7. Absences that may be excused without a letter include circumstances beyond the student’s control such as medical treatment, surgery related to prolonged illness or injury, pregnancy, legal matters, citizenship or naturalization processes, or acts of nature which cause destruction to a primary residence or disrupt air travel. All will require documentation.

8. Absences that may also be excused without a letter from the Dean of Students Office include job, graduate, or professional school interviews. However, a best effort should be made to schedule these events to minimize class attendance disruption. All will require documentation.

   Absences that will not be excused include family events such as reunions or weddings, or presence during serious illness of extended family members (aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or cousin).

   Absences, when they occur after the first day of classes but prior to enrollment in the course, will require the use of dropped assigments if applicable.

9. Absences will be handled according to individual course policy.

   1. Attendance will be recorded at every lab session. If you are more than 5 minutes late or more you forfeit your participation points for that week, but you may stay for the class period.

   2. Students must attend their scheduled lab section.

   3. We know that students become ill and other reasons beyond a student’s control arise. In order to accommodate absences due to minor illness or emergency, we allow that a specified number of assignments may be missed without penalty. These missed assignments can be dropped according to the criteria set forth in the Course Policies for this course. Specifically for MCB 251, a student that misses class/assignments due to minor illness (less than 3 days), chooses not to attend class or complete an assignment, and/or forgets to attend class or complete an assignment will use these specified drops. There is no distinction made between illness and missing class/assignments.

   4. Students who wish to have consideration for religious observances which conflict with exams or discussions must present verification in writing to Nick Kirchner within one week of the first lecture (January 29th), in compliance with the Code of Policies and Regulations Applying to All Students (Rule 34.B.4). If the religious observance is such that the exact date cannot be determined in January, contact Nick Kirchner before the deadline and inform him about the approximate date or dates of absence(s).

   5. Any student requiring special accommodations for disabilities (physical, learning or otherwise) should request provisions for such as soon as possible from Nick Kirchner.

   6. Students with conflicts with evening exams in MCB 251 must submit a conflict exam request form on the MCB 250 Web site by 5:00 PM on the Friday immediately prior to the exam so that a conflict exam can be arranged. Written evidence of the conflict must be provided (see Examinations section).

   7. Class absences before and after vacations (e.g. Thanksgiving Break, Spring Break) are not excusable.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU MUST BE ABSENT

Unexcused Absence from Class
           
Students arriving more than 10 minutes late will not be allowed to turn in assignments due that day for full credit and will lose 10% off their overall score. Students arriving more than 20 minutes late will lose 20% off their overall score and so on. If students' hand in an assignment after the lab sessions has ended but sooner than 24 hours after the due date 50% will be deducted from the assignment. Any assignmnet handed in after 24 hours from the due date will not be awarded any credit. In addition students arriving 20 minutes of later to lab will lose 10 points of all assignments associated with that class period/exercise. If you have concerns with the grading or policy of your section please speak with Nick Kirchner in 217a Burrill Hall.

Due to the nature of the course both your presence and participation are required. As a result, you will only be allowed *one excused absence* for the semester, if warranted. Anything more than this will be considered unexcused, regardless of the reason or documentation. Excused absences will require: 1) Contact with Nick Kirchner within 24 hours of the absence, 2) The completion of the online absence report form, 3) The documentation requested by Nick Kirchner, and 4) an arrangement made for making-up the missed lab period. Should you find yourself with multiple absences, we will assist you in preparing a petition for a Late Drop should this occur and be necessary after the drop deadline.

If you experience an illness that causes you to miss an exam, you should go to McKinley or your private physician to seek assistance. Whether it is an illness or an emergency that prevents you from taking your exam at the appointed time, you should then contact Nicholas Kirchner via email kirchner@illinois.edu. Please fill out an online absence form for your course which can be found on the course web site under the “Forms” link.

If possible you will be assigned a conflict exam. All conflict exams must be completed before 5pm on the Friday of the exam week. Please note that if you take a conflict exam after an absence, you will not be assigned an exam score until Nick Kirchner receives a letter from the dean excusing you from the exam. If proper documentation is not received before the final exam in the course, then you will receive a zero on the missed exam despite taking a conflict exam. Final grades can be amended should proper documentation be forth coming.

If you cannot complete a lab exam because of an MCB approved conflict (ie, excused by a dean), then one lab practical may be prorated at the end of the semester. You must take at least one lab practical and the final examination in MCB 251 in order to earn a letter grade in the course. If you are unable, the instructor will recommend that you drop or withdraw from the course.

Absence from a Final Exam

If you should experience an illness or emergency that prevents you from taking your final exam at the appointed time, you should contact Nicholas Kirchner via email kirchner@illinois.edu. Please fill out an online absence form for your course which can be found on the course web site under the “Forms” link and provide Nick Kirchner with any appropriate documentation.

NOTE: The documentation for an absence must include relevant names, times, dates, and an explanation of the date(s) and reason(s) for absence. Without this information, you may not be excused from class. In addition, you must take either the midterm exam or the final examination in MCB 251 in order to earn a letter grade in the course. If you are unable, the instructor will recommend that you drop or withdraw from the course.

Exam Proration

If you must miss a lab exam, the possibility exists to have your exam score prorated with proper documentation. You must contact Nick Kirchner via email within 24 hours of the absence. If you do not provide documentation (i.e., a Dean’s letter) in a timely manner and upon receipt, there may be a negative impact on your ability to receive a prorated score. NOTE: The final exam cannot be prorated.

All documentation regarding exam and lab absences should be emailed to Nick Kirchner kirchner@illinois.edu.

TA Help Sessions-TA's for MCB 251 will hold their help sessions hours in person in the MCB Learning Center (101 Burrill Hall). Please see the TA information section of the course website for meeting times.

MCB 251 WEB GRADEBOOK

The MCB 251 Web Gradebook can be accessed directly at:

      https://apps.atlas.illinois.edu/Gradebook/

Scores on exams and assignments will be available for student review on the MCB 251 Web Gradebook. To check your scores, sign into the MCB 251 Web site and click on the Gradebook link and follow the instructions presented there. All students are responsible for checking their scores on the Web Gradebook after each exam and assignment is returned to them. Each student is responsible for reporting possible discrepancies to their TA and if immediate action is not taken, the student is responsible for bringing this to the attention of Nicholas Kirchner within one week of receiving their graded paper or exam score. Students are encouraged to keep all graded papers returned to them until after final grades are issued.

The final deadline for Web Gradebook corrections is 5:00 PM, Wednesday, May 1st 2024.

No Web Gradebook scores will be altered after this deadline so please be certain to check all your scores before this time.

COURSE GRADING

Student grades in MCB 251 will be based on total of 1000 points. Categories listed below are approximate, but should closely resemble the final distribution.

1 Laboratory Midterm Exam		150
Final Exam		150
Lab Activity Sheets		120
Lab Reports		240
LON-CAPA Post Lab Assignments		200
LON-CAPA Unknown identification Assignments		90
End of semester powerpoint presentation		50
Total		1000	points

All point totals are estimates and may be altered slightly throughout the course of the semester.

The point totals contained in the following table represent the use of the plus/minus grading system coupled with a 4.0 grade point system. The grade point values shown for each letter grade have been assigned by the University. Students who earn the points shown below (out of 1000 possible points), will be guaranteed the indicated letter grade. At semester's end, after the final exam, the faculty will analyze the course grade distribution, and may decrease (to accommodate poor class performance on an examination), but will not increase the points needed for each grade.

MCB 251 Standard Grade Scale

Letter Grade	Point Ranges	Grade Point Value
A+	1000–920	4.000
A	919–883	4.000
A-	882–850	3.667
B+	849–817	3.333
B	816–783	3.000
B-	782–750	2.667
C+	749–717	2.333
C	716–683	2.000
C-	682–650	1.667
D+	649–617	1.333
D	616–583	1.000
D-	582–550	0.667
F	549–0	0.000

STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

1. Science cannot exist without honesty. The faculty and staff of MCB 251 require students, as scientists-in-the-making, to hold the highest standards of scientific and academic conduct. Any form of cheating on any graded work in this course is unacceptable, and will be dealt with as outlined below, and in accordance with the University-wide standards in the Code of Policies and Regulations Applying to All Students.

2. We require that all graded work be entirely your own, and that anything you write using the words of other writers be correctly attributed. Some specific points follow:

   1. On exams, the answers that your turn in for grading must be your own, formulated during the exam from your own understanding of the material and without any supporting information, be it written, verbal or electronic. Copying the work of another student, or allowing another to copy your work, or copying work from any other source, is unacceptable. Since we cannot always monitor you as you complete your work, we must rely upon appearance of your work from which to judge. If the work you submit resembles that of another student or another source too closely, we may conclude that it was not your original work. Always make a conscious effort to complete your work on your own and to protect it from the view of others, in order to ensure that it will be seen as your own. Failure to adhere to these standards, for any portion of an exam, may result in a grade of zero for the entire exam or quiz, for all persons involved. Texting, or the use of a cell phone for any purpose during an exam, is prohibited. Doing so may earn you a zero on the exam, or a more extreme penalty at the discretion of the instructor. Use of any social or electronic media to share information, request information or make confidential information public is prohibited. Any use of this type may earn you a zero on the exam or a more extreme penalty at the discretion of the instructor.

   2. On notebook assignments, worksheets, quizzes, and presentations, the answers that you turn in for grading must be written in your own words, formulated from your own understanding of the material. While you may be working with a partner or two, and the data that you have will be the same, the write-up of this work and data must be uniquely your own. Copying or paraphrasing the work of another student, or allowing another to copy or paraphrase your work, is unacceptable. Since we cannot monitor you as you complete your work, we have only the appearance of your work from which to judge. If the work you submit resembles that of another student too closely, we may conclude that it was not your original work. Always make a conscious effort to complete your work on your own and to protect it from the view of others, in order to ensure that it will be seen as your own. Failure to adhere to these standards may result in a grade of zero for the entire assignment, for all persons involved.

   3. On notebook assignments, if you use a statement taken directly from any book or other publication, including the course textbook or lab manual, you must provide a citation. That is, you must put the text in quotes and put the author of the publication in parentheses after the quotation. Failure to do so will result in zero credit for that answer. Further, using only the words of another author as your entire answer or as the majority of your answer to any question is never sufficient to earn credit. If the majority of your work has been taken directly from a publication, you are likely to receive no credit for the work, since you would not be demonstrating knowledge beyond the ability to copy. Even if you quote another, your answer must be substantially your own words, drawn from your own understanding of the material.