Practical Skills in Biomolecular Science (6^th Ed.)

An essential companion for students across a range of disciplines, including biochemistry, biomedical sciences, microbiology and molecular biology throughout your entire degree programme, this sixth edition of Practical Skills in Biomolecular Sciences, has been updated and expanded to provide you with a complete and easy-to-read guide. It's an all-in-one solution for the key practical skills needed for all cellular and molecular life sciences, including: comprehensive coverage of study and examination skills; fundamental laboratory methods; investigative and analytical techniques and analysis and presentation of data.

This new edition comes with increased coverage on laboratory skills, new chapters on working with bacteria, eukaryotic microbes and viruses, and on assaying biomolecules, as well as new sections on online learning in a post-COVID world. In addition, 250 new and updated illustrations, tables, and tips ? including 25 new ?how to' boxes ? have been added, along with numerous end-of-chapter study exercises (with answers provided on the companion website) to support self-evaluation.

Preface

List of abbreviations

Study strategies

1. Developing your skills
2. Self-management
3. Learning effectively
4. Making the most of learning resources
5. Locating and citing published information
6. Evaluating information
7. Working with others
8. Mapping your personal development

Assessment skills

9. Succeeding in assessments
10. Scientific writing
11. Writing essays
12. Reporting practical and project work
13. Tackling literature surveys and reviews
14. Presenting written assignments
15. Preparing a poster
16. Giving a spoken presentation
17. Revision strategies
18. Improving your performance in exams

Fundamental laboratory techniques

19. Preparing for practical work
20. Working safely in the lab
21. Basic laboratory skills
22. Measuring and dispensing liquids
23. Preparing solutions – principles and practice
24. Measuring and maintaining pH
25. Understanding microscopy
26. Setting up and using a light microscope

The investigative approach

27. Making measurements
28. Understanding SI units and their use
29. Designing experiments
30. Understanding bioethics
31. Recording data and images
32. Tackling project work and placements

Working with microbes, cells and tissues

33. Learning sterile technique
34. Culturing cells and measuring growth
35. Collecting and isolating microbes
36. Identifying microbes
37. Naming microbes and other organisms
38. Working with bacteria
39. Working with eukaryotic microbes: fungi and protists
40. Working with viruses
41. Working with animal and plant cells and tissues
42. Homogenising and fractionating cells and tissues

Analytical techniques

43. Understanding calibration and quantitative analysis
44. Centrifugation techniques
45. Measuring light
46. Using advanced spectroscopy and spectrometry
47. Carrying out basic spectroscopy and spectrometry
48. Separating compounds using chromatography
49. Detecting and analysing compounds after chromatography
50. Methods of electrophoresis
51. Advanced electrophoretic techniques
52. Electroanalytical techniques
53. Using immunological methods
54. Using radioisotopes
55. Analysing stable isotopes

Assaying biomolecules and studying metabolism

56. Analysing biomolecules
57. Assaying amino acids, peptides and proteins
58. Assaying lipids
59. Assaying carbohydrates
60. Assaying nucleic acids and nucleotides
61. Protein purification
62. Studying enzymes
63. Measuring membrane transport
64. Quantifying photosynthesis and respiration

 Genetics and molecular biology

65. Studying Mendelian and population genetics
66. Studying bacterial and phage genetics
67. Understanding molecular genetics – fundamental principles
68. Using the polymerase chain reaction in molecular genetics
69. Genetic manipulation techniques
70. Applying bioinformatics

Analysing and presenting data

71. Manipulating and transforming raw data
72. Analysing data with spreadsheets
73. Summarising data in tables
74. Illustrating data in graphs
75. Solving numerical problems
76. Using descriptive statistics
77. Selecting and interpreting statistical tests

Appendix 1

Index

Rob Reed, Professor Emeritus (Education and Science) at Central Queensland University, Australia.

David Holmes, Emeritus Professor of Medical Sciences, St George's International School of Medicine, Grenada. 

Jonathan Weyers, Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Dundee, UK.

Allan Jones, Chancellor's Award Fellow in Ecology, Environmental Science and Zoology at the University of Dundee, UK.

• Provides a one-stop guide to the key practical skills needed in biomolecular science, including comprehensive coverage of: study and examination skills; fundamental laboratory methods; investigative and analytical techniques; analysis and presentation of data.
• Contains numerous margin tips and hints, ‘how to' boxes, checklists and examples.
• Key points highlight critical features of methodology.
• Gives theoretical background to methods to enhance understanding.
• Includes numerous end-of-chapter study exercises to support student learning, with answers available on a useful companion website. It also comes with PowerPoint slides of key illustrations to enhance lecturer presentations.