MCB 428
Microbiology
School of Molecular and Cellular Biology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
course home pagecourse contactUniversity of Illinois

 

More recent announcements are at the top of this document.                              

  • The final grades and final exam grades for MCB428 have been released in Gradebook for you to view. The grade scale was lowered 20 points from what was originally given in the syllabus and is now as follows: A+ 1,000-950; A 949-910, A- 909-880, B+ 879-850, B 849-810, B- 809-780, C+ 779-750, C 749-710, C- 709-680, D+ 679-650, D 649-610, D- 609-580, F <580. Every semester there are a number of students who work hard but fall just shy of the next grade level. Unfortunately, while we understand your position, we cannot award points that were not earned. It was a pleasure meeting and working with all of you this semester, and I hope that you have a relaxing and great break!     
  •                                        

  • The Final Exam is at 8-11am on Tuesday, December 12th at 495C Burrill Hall (Note: this is the regular lab classroom).  The Final Exam covers Ex #4 Gastrointestinal Tract Infections and Ex #5 Sexually Transmitted Infections.  It is worth 100 pts and is the same format as the other Exams (i.e., mainly short answer questions with some True/False and Multiple Choice Questions.  Please bring a pen/pencil (no calculator needed).  See you then.       
  •                                        

  • Tuesday, December 5th at 5pm is the deadline to submit the hardcopy of your Written Presentation (written individually) to me at my office (at 484B Burrill Hall).  If I am not in my office then slide the assignment under the door.  I would also like an electronic copy emailed to me at jikeda@illinois.edu.  The Final Exam is at 8-11am on Tuesday, December 12th at 495C Burrill Hall (Note: this is the regular lab classroom).  The Final Exam covers Ex #4 Gastrointestinal Tract Infections and Ex #5 Sexually Transmitted Infections.  It is worth 100 pts and is the same format as the other Exams (i.e., mainly short answer questions with some True/False and Multiple Choice Questions.  Please bring a pen/pencil (no calculator needed).       
  •                                        

  • Reminder: Email me the Powerpoint Slide Presentation file (that you will use for your Oral Presentation) by 5pm, Wednesday, November 29th.  On Thursday, November 30th we will meet in class to present the Oral Presentations.  Please be on time.  A hardcopy of the Written Presentation (written individually) will be due to me on Tuesday, December 5th by 5pm (if I am not in my office at 484B Burrill Hall then slide the assignment under the door). The Final Exam is at 8-11am on Tuesday, December 12th at 495C Burrill Hall (Note: this is the regular lab classroom).      
  •                                        

  • Tuesday, November 28th we will meet in class to discuss the Oral and Written Presentations.  Discuss with your partner the journal article you will be presenting to the class and make final preparations with your partner about the Oral Presentation which will be given by both students on Thursday, November 30th.  A Powerpoint slide presentation that you will use for your talk must be submitted to us by 5pm, Wednesday, November 29th.  The Written Presentation (written individually) will be due Tuesday, December 5th in class.  You will also clean out your Lab Drawer and return your Lab Coat.  Your Lab Practical will be returned to you after class.                            
  •                                        

  • Thursday, November 16th your Ex #5 STI Lab Report will be due.  Your Lab Report #4 GI Tract Infections Lab Report will be returned to you.  Also, discuss with your partner(s) the journal article you will be presenting to the class.  Next week is the Fall Break so have fun and relax.  After you get back from the Break, we will meet on Tuesday, November 28th.  You will have time to make final preparations with your partner(s) about the oral presentation which will be given on Thursday, November 30th.                         
  •                                        

  • Lab Practical Day 2 is Tuesday, November 14th during your regularly scheduled lab section (Section A starts at 10 am; Section B starts at 1pm).  It covers diagnostic tests from Exercises #1-4 (Urinary Tract Infections, Gram-Positive Cocci Infections, Respiratory Tract Infections and Gastrointestinal Tract Infections).  There will be 6 stations and at each station will be results of a diagnostic test (may include growth on agar media).  You will have to answer questions about the test and questions related to the results presented.  You will have 7 minutes at each station and after you visit every station there will be time to revisit a station.  The following will NOT be covered on Day 2 of the Lab Practical: Sensititre Testing and MBC, Phage typing, HA and HAI testing, and the Brilliance Listeria Agar medium.  As a reminder: Ex #5 STI Lab Report will be due on Thursday, November 16th.               
  •                                        

  • Lab Practical Day 1 is Thursday, November 9th during your regularly scheduled lab section (Section A starts at 10 am; Section B starts at 1pm).  It covers the skills portion of the Lab Practical (Gram staining, microscopy, streak plating, catalase and coagulase testing.     
  •                                        

  • Tuesday, November 7th, Lab Report #4 Gastrointestinal Tract Infections is DUE in class.   The Outside the Class Discussion Questions are posted in the "Lectures and Lab Exercises" section of the website.   Related to the upcoming Lab Practical, you can check your practice streak plate(s) (if you did one last time) to see how well you isolated colonies.  Also, demo plates of different media with various bacteria growing on them will be available to view.  Also work on your oral  presentation with your lab partner(s) and the written presentation.  More information about the presentations will be given.            
  •                                        

  • MCB428 Exam 2 is Thursday, November 2nd.  It will be taken during your regular lab session at the lab in 495C Burrill Hall.  It covers Exercise #2 Gram-Positive Cocci Infections and Exercise #3 Respiratory Tract Infections.  The Exam is worth 100 pts and includes mainly short answer questions, but also includes some True/False and Multiple Choice questions.  Please arrive on time so everyone can start on time.  No calculator is needed.  There are no Sample Exam questions this time.
  •                                        

  • Tuesday, October 31st we will discuss the upcoming Exam 2 (November 2nd) and Lab Practical (November 9th and 14th).  For the Lab Practical you can practice Gram staining, streak plating, the catalase test and the coagulase test.  As a reminder, a journal article based on the topic you chose for you and your lab partner's oral/written presentation must be picked by signing up in the Google Sheet (link emailed to the class earlier).  Your Lab Report #3 (Respiratory Tract Infections) will be returned to you in class.  Your Lab Report for Exercise #4 (GI Tract Infections) will be due November 7th, and your Lab Report for Exercise #5 (STI) will be due November 16th).       
  •                                        

  • Thursday, October 26th we will continue and finish with Exercise #5 - Sexually Transmitted Infections Day 2.  The Lab Report will be due on November 16th.   As a reminder, a topic for you and your lab partner's oral/written presentation must be chosen from the ones given in class by October 26th by signing up in the Google Sheet (link emailed to the class earlier today).   
  •                                        

  • Tuesday, October 24th we will start Exercise #5 - Sexually Transmitted Infections Day 1.  Therefore, Prelab #5 (Sexually Transmitted Infections) will be due an hour before your lab section starts.
  • As a reminder, a topic for you and your lab partner's oral/written presentation must be chosen from the ones given in class by October 26th.  I will email the class on Wednesday, October 25th at 10am a link to a Google Sheet for you to sign up for a topic.  A given topic can only be chosen by one group.                

                                           

  • Thursday, October 19th we will finish with Exercise #4 Gastrointestinal Tract Infections Day 4.  The Lab Report for Exercise #4 will be due on Tuesday, November 7th.  The Outside the Class Discussion Questions are posted in the "Lectures and Lab Exercises" section of the website.  We will also go over information about the oral/written presentations.        
  • We will start Exercise #5 (Sexually Transmitted Infections) next week on Tuesday, October 24th. Therefore, Prelab #5 (Sexually Transmitted Infections) will be due an hour before your lab section starts.   

                                           

  • Tuesday, October 17th we will continue with Exercise #4 Gastrointestinal Tract Infections Day 3. 
  • Also, Exercise #3 Respiratory Tract Infections Lab Report will be due at the beginning of your lab period. Attach two Influenza sheets (Case #3) and an Enterotube Sheet (if performed). "Outside the Class Discussion Questions" are posted in the "Lectures and Lab Exercises" portion of the MCB428 website.

                                           

  • Friday, October 13th is the last day to drop a full semester course without a "W" grade.  So far the following assignment scores have been posted in Gradebook: 4 Pre-labs (15 pts each; 60 pts total); Lab Report #1 (73 pts), Lab Report #2 (88 pts), Safety Training (5 pts); and Exam 1 (100 pts).  So 326 total pts so far in the course. As a reminder, Exercise #3 Respiratory Tract Infections Lab Report will be due Tuesday, October 17th at the beginning of your lab period.  Attach two Influenza sheets (Case #3) and an Enterotube Sheet (if performed).  "Outside the Class Discussion Questions" are posted in the "Lectures and Lab Exercises" portion of the MCB428 website. 
  •                                        

  • Thursday, October 12th we will continue with Exercise #4 - Gastrointestinal Tract Infections Day 2.  As a reminder, Exercise #3 Respiratory Tract Infections Lab Report will be due Tuesday, October 17th at the beginning of your lab period.  Attach two Influenza sheets (Case #3) and an Enterotube Sheet (if performed).  "Outside the Class Discussion Questions" are posted in the "Lectures and Lab Exercises" portion of the MCB428 website. 
  •                                        

  • Tuesday, October 10th we will start Exercise #4 - Gastrointestinal Tract Infections Day 1. Therefore, Prelab #4 (Gastrointestinal Tract Infections) will be due Tuesday in LON-CAPA an hour before your lab section starts. As a reminder, Exercise #3 Respiratory Tract Infections Lab Report will be due Tuesday, October 17th at the beginning of your lab period.  Attach two Influenza sheets (Case #3) and an Enterotube Sheet (if performed).
  •                                        

  • MCB428 Exam 1 is Thursday, October 5th. It will be taken during your regular lab session at the lab in 495C Burrill Hall. It covers everything since the beginning of the course up to and including Exercise #1 UTI. For example it might include basic lab techniques, streak plating, Gram staining, bacterial cell wall structure, microscopy, lab safety and procedures, the review questions, antibiotics, antibodies and the UTI exercise. It includes the lectures given in the lab each day and info from the Lab Manual. For the UTI exercise you should know what you did and why? You should know about the Urinary Tract, the diagnostic tests you performed and how they work, and pathogens involved. Sample Exam questions are posted in the "Exam" section of the website. The Exam is worth 100 pts and includes mainly short answer questions, but may also include True/False and Multiple Choice questions. Please arrive on time so everyone can start on time.        
  •                                        

  • Tuesday, October 3rd we will finish Exercise #3 - Respiratory Tract Infections Day 3. As a reminder, Exercise #2 Gram-Positive Cocci Lab Report will also be due Tuesday, October 3rd at the beginning of your lab period. The Lab Report for Exercise #3 (Respiratory Tract Infections) will be due on Tuesday, October 17th (you will have 2 weeks to complete it). The Outside the Class Discussion Questions are posted in the "Lectures and Lab Exercises" section of the website.
  •  

         Also, Exam 1 will be coming up on Thursday, October 5th.  It will be taken during your regular lab session at the lab in 495C Burrill Hall.  It covers everything since the beginning of the course up to and including Exercise #1 UTI.  For example it might  include basic lab techniques, streak plating, Gram staining, bacterial cell wall structure, microscopy, lab safety and procedures, the review questions, antibiotics, antibodies and the UTI exercise.  It includes the lectures given in the lab each day and info from the Lab Manual.  For the UTI exercise you should know what you did and why?  You should know the diagnostic tests you performed and how they work, and pathogens involved.  Sample Exam questions are posted in the "Exam" section of the website.  The Exam is worth 100 pts and includes mainly short answer questions, but may also include True/False and Multiple Choice questions.                                     

  • Thursday, September 28th we will continue Exercise #3 - Respiratory Tract Infections Day 2.   As a reminder, Exercise #2 Gram-Positive Cocci Lab Report will be due Tuesday, October 3rd at the beginning of your lab period.             
  •      Also, Exam 1 will be coming up soon (next week on Thursday, October 5th).  It will be taken during your regular lab session at the lab in 495C Burrill Hall.  It covers the Introduction to the Course (Basic Lab Techniques and Safety) and Exercise #1 UTI.               

     

  • Tuesday, September 26th we will start Exercise #3 - Respiratory Tract Infections Day 1.   Therefore, Prelab #3 (Respiratory Tract Infections) will be due Tuesday in LON-CAPA an hour before your lab section starts. As a reminder, Exercise #2 Gram-Positive Cocci Lab Report will be due Tuesday, October 3rd at the beginning of your lab period (Note: you will have more than a week to complete this Lab Report).
  •  

  • Thursday, September 21st we will finish Exercise #2 - Gram-Positive Cocci Day 3.   Exercise #2 Gram-Positive Cocci Lab Report will be due Tuesday, October 3rd at the beginning of your lab period (Note: you will have more than a week to complete this Lab Report).
  •  

  • Tuesday, September 19th we will continue Exercise #2 - Gram-Positive Cocci Day 2. 
  •       Exercise #1 UTI Lab Report will also be due Tuesday, September 19th at the beginning of your lab period.  Each student turns in a hard copy (Parts 1 and 2) written in their own words, along with an Enterotube and two Sensititre Score sheets attached.   For Part 2 Discussion section Ciii, also answer this question: "Were there any unexpected results with the MBC test?  If so, describe the unexpected results and how it could have come about."    

     

  • Thursday, September 14th we will start Exercise #2 - Gram-Positive Cocci Day 1.  Therefore, Prelab #2 (Gram-Positive Cocci Infections) will be due Thursday in LON-CAPA an hour before your lab section starts.  
  •       Exercise #1 UTI Lab Report will be due next Tuesday, September 19th at the beginning of your lab period.  Each student turns in a hard copy (Parts 1 and 2) written in their own words, along with an Enterotube and two Sensititre Score sheets attached.   For Part 2 Discussion section Ciii, also answer this question: "Were there any unexpected results with the MBC test?  If so, describe the unexpected results and how it could have come about."    

     

  • Tuesday, September 12th we will finish Exercise #1 - Urinary Tract Infections Day 4.  Prelab #2 (Gram-Positive Cocci Infections) is now open and will be due Thursday in LON-CAPA an hour before your lab section.
  •  

  • Thursday, September 7th we will continue with Day 3 of Exercise #1 - Urinary Tract Infections.
  •  

  • Tuesday, September 5th we will continue with Day 2 of Exercise #1 - Urinary Tract Infections.
  •  

  • On Thursday, August 31st we will start Exercise #1 - Urinary Tract Infections. As a reminder, complete the DRS safety trainings (Lab Safety and Understanding Biosafety on the DRS website) by Thursday,  and your first Pre-Lab #1 on Urinary Tract Infections is due Thursday an hour before your lab section starts (i.e., by 9am for Section A, and by noon for Section B).
  •  

  • On Tuesday, August 29th we will continue with Basic Lab Techniques (Aseptic techniques, Streak plating, Gram staining and Microscopy). As a reminder, complete the DRS safety trainings (Lab Safety and Understanding Biosafety on the DRS website) by Thursday, August 31st. Also your first Pre-Lab #1 on Urinary Tract Infections is open in LON-CAPA, and is also due Thursday an hour before your lab section starts (i.e., by 9am for Section A, and by noon for Section B).
  •  

  • On Thursday, August 24th we will continue with Basic Lab Techniques (Aseptic techniques, Streak plating, Gram staining and Microscopy).  As a reminder, complete the DRS safety trainings (Lab Safety and Understanding Biosafety on the DRS website) by Thursday, August 31st. Also your first Pre-Lab #1 on Urinary Tract Infections (it will be open soon) is due via LON-CAPA by that same date an hour before your lab section starts (i.e., by 9am for Section A, and by noon for Section B).       
  •  

  • Welcome to MCB428 (Microbial Pathogens Laboratory) Fall 2023. Classes are scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays and our first meeting is on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 in-person in the lab classroom at 495C Burrill Hall. Section A meets at 10 am-11:50 am; Section B meets at 1 pm-2:50 pm. In the first three sessions, students will be introduced to the course policies, biosafety, bacterial pathogens, general laboratory procedures, Gram staining, streak plating and microscopy. Students may review this material in the Fall 2023 MCB428 Lab Manual that must be purchased at the Illini Union Bookstore. Looking forward to seeing you! 
  •