• The MARE Project

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    MARE

    The Metal and Antibiotic Resistance Evolution (MARE) Project is a course-based undergraduate research   experience (CURE) investigating the correlation between heavy metal and antibiotic resistance in bacteria. We leverage our location in an urban area with a history of significant heavy metal pollution and environmental injustice, so that students see clear connections between their research and the local community. The result is an experience that cultivates significant ownership in the project as well as ownership in the community.



    • Forum

      News forum

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    • Forum

      Announcements

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  • Week 2 (Feb.8th- Feb.10th)

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    This week we are going on a field trip to Sloss Furnaces! 

    1. Read about Sloss Furnaces for pre-lab quiz.
    2. Pre-lab Quiz 1 due before your lab's field trip.
    3. Sign up for your LabArchives Account here:

    Field Trip Details. For each trip, please meet at Sloss Furnaces (Address) at the time listed below. Carpooling is encouraged, but please wear your masks. If you are late, you'll miss the tour and will have to complete the alternate assignment. 
      • Tuesday at 1:30 PM
      • Wednesday at 2:30 PM

    • Quiz

      Pre-Lab Quiz 1

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      Due before your lab field trip (Tues. 12:30 pm; Wed. at 2:00 pm ). For this and future quizzes you have until the beginning of your lab to complete the quiz. (It may appear that the quiz is due before your lab section; however, there is an override in place that allows you to take it until your lab period). 

      If you ever have any problems, it is your responsibility to let your lab instructor know about it before the quiz is officially due. So, please be careful taking this at the last moment. No make-up quizzes are accepted. 

      Required readings: 

      History of Sloss Furnaces (https://www.slossfurnaces.com/history/)

       

    • Turnitin Assignment 2

      Alternate Assignment for Sloss Field Trip

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           Write an essay that addresses the following questions about Sloss Furnaces and the history of industrial development in Birmingham. Your essay must be submitted as a Word file (.doc) and be between 200 and 300 words long. DO NOT COPY AND PASTE answers from other sources!!! You must answer these questions in your own words. (All of your written assignments this year will be submitted through TurnItIn, a software program that detects plagiarism.)

       

           Describe the role of iron and steel production in the history and development of Birmingham. Why is Birmingham known as the Magic City? What natural resources make Birmingham well-suited for iron and steel production? Who was Col. Sloss, where was he from, and when was Sloss Furnace Company first established? What is pig-iron and how does it relate to Sloss Furnaces? In your own words, describe the process of iron production including the role of limestone and coke.


  • Week 3 (Feb.15th-17th)

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    This week in lab we are going to isolate of heavy metal resistance bacteria from your Sloss soil samples! Before your laboratory period next week, please do the following:

    1. Read LabArchives Materials for Week 3 and Knisely (pgs. 39-46).
    2. Pre-lab Quiz 2 is due before your lab.
    3. Laboratory Safety Quiz is due before your lab. 


    • Quiz

      Prelab Quiz 2

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      Due before your lab. The quiz covers material through in Week 2 and Week 3 LabArchives and pages 39-46 in your Knisely Writing in Biology book.

    • Quiz

      Lab Safety Quiz

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      This Safety Quiz covers material found in the Laboratory Safety Guidelines under BI 125L Information in LabArchives. 

  • Week 4 (Feb.22nd-Feb.24th)

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    This week we will evaluate the prevalence of heavy metal resistant bacteria in your Sloss soil samples and begin a comparative analysis of residential soil communities. 

    Things to complete before next week's lab.
    1. Read LabArchives for Week 4; Knisely (pgs. 83-88).
    2. Read this article about the 35th Avenue Superfund Site.
    3. Pre-lab Quiz 3 due before lab.
    4. Finish your LabArchive Assignments
      • Completed LabArchive Tutorial
      • Scientific Communication
      • Fill in the blanks on LabArchives

    • Quiz

      Pre-Lab Quiz 3

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      Due before your lab. The quiz covers material from through Week 4 of LabArchives, the 35th Avenue Superfund Site article, and pages 83-88 in your Knisely Writing in Biology book.

  • Week 5 (Mar.1st-Mar.3rd)

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    This week in lab we are going to complete our comparative analysis of industrial versus residential microbial diversity and heavy metal resistance. As a group we'll begin to compile and analyze the data to construct our first draft of figure 1, the materials and methods section, and the results section that goes with it. 

    Before lab this week, please do the following:
    1. Read Lab Knisely (pgs. 89-106)
    2. Pre-lab Quiz 4 is due before lab.
    3. Materials and Methods Questions (LabArchives) and Draft (typed and printed) due in lab.
    4. Antimicrobial Activity Questions (LabArchives) due in lab. 
    5. Draft the graphs of your Sloss CFU and Diversity Data using the course-wide values found in LabArchives.

    • Quiz

      Pre-lab Quiz 4

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      This quiz comes from your readings through Week 5 of LabArchives and pgs. 89-106 from Knisely.

  • Week 6 (Mar.8th-Mar.10th)

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    This week in lab you have the opportunity to observe your heavy metal resistant strains under the microscope and learn more about their cell morphology! We will also continue to work on components of your laboratory report.

    Before lab, complete the following:
      1. Read Week 6 LabArchives.
      2. Pre-lab Quiz 5 due before lab.
      3. Results Workshop due at the beginning of lab.  
      4. Coming up - Figure 1 Draft due March 14th at 9:00 AM.

    • Quiz

      Pre-Lab Quiz 5

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      This quiz covers Week 6 material in LabArchives.

  • Week 7 (Mar.15th-17th)

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    This week in lab we discuss the mechanisms of heavy metal resistance and you have the opportunity to assess the how resistant your bacteria is to the different heavy metals. Before lab you should complete the following assignments.


    • Quiz

      Pre-Lab Quiz 6

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      Read through LabArchives for Week 7 and pages 106-110 of your Writing in Biology text to complete the quiz.

  • Week 9 (Mar. 29th-31st)

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    This week in lab you will collect data on the disk diffusion assay you started last week to determine the effects that different heavy metal concentrations have on your isolates. Then, you have the opportunity to amplify a specific gene in your isolate to later determine what genus of bacteria you have been working with this semester.
        • Read LabArchives Week 9.
        • Pre-lab Quiz 7 due before lab.
        • Figure 1 Draft Feedback - You are responsible for looking at the feedback your instructor provided on your draft. Do this by clicking on the submitted assignment in Moodle. Below you will find online support as a walk-through. 


    • Quiz

      Pre-Lab Quiz 7

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      Read over Week 9 LabArchives and then complete the quiz.

  • Week 10 (Apr. 5th-7th)

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    This week in lab you have the opportunity to observe your PCR product on an agarose gel! If you were successful in the amplification of your product you will purify your product to send off for sequencing. If not, you have the opportunity to try again. That's Science!

    Before lab next week:
      • Read Week 10 LabArchives.
      • Complete Pre-lab Quiz 8 due before lab.
      • Complete the Mechanisms for Antibiotic Resistance Questions and Literature Assignment on LabArchives.   
      • Your Introduction Draft is due this Monday, April 4th at 9:00 AM. More details can be found below.

    • Quiz

      Pre-lab Quiz 8

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      Read LabArchives for Week 10 and complete the quiz.

    • Turnitin Assignment 2

      Introduction Draft

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      • Introduction
        • When writing your introduction, the following will be very helpful:
            • The references you found during the Literature Assignment.
            • Introduction Workshop Worksheet.
            • Your notes on the Zinc Resistance Activity/Skits.
            • Antibiotic Resistance Worksheet.
      • References
        • Be sure to use the Name-Year System (see Knisely) for both: 
            • In-text references that support the claims made in your intro
            • End references listed at the end of your draft
      • Grading Rubric

  • Week 11 (Apr. 12th-14th)

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    This week in lab you we will design our last experiment to determine if your bacterial isolate shares a co-resistance mechanism for heavy metal and antibiotic resistance. You will also have an opportunity to work on your figure 2 draft and rerun the agarose gel for second round PCR products.
     
    Before lab next week:

    1. Read through Week 11 in your LabArchives and p. 106-110 in Knisely.
    2. Pre-lab Quiz 9 due before lab.


    • Quiz

      Pre-lab Quiz 9

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      Read p. 59-62 in your lab manual and p. 81-90 in Knisely before attempting this quiz.



  • Week 12 (Apr. 19th-21st)

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    This week, for our last experiment of the semester, we will test your bacterial isolates for antibiotic resistance. We will also discuss the final components of your laboratory report.

    • Quiz

      Pre-lab Quiz 10

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      Review LabArchives and read pgs. 110-115 in Knisely before attempting this week's quiz.


  • Week 13 (Apr. 26th-28th)

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    This is your last official week of BI 125 lab! Don't worry, we still have plenty to do over the next few weeks. Today, we will start with analyzing the data from your antibiotic disk diffusion assays, then you have the opportunity to learn some basic coding, where we will analyze your PCR sequencing results.

    Before lab, please:
    1. Read through Week 13 in LabArchives.
    2. Complete the Pre-lab quiz.
    3. Submit Figure 2 Draft. 

  • Laboratory Report Assignments

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    • Turnitin Assignment 2

      Final Laboratory Report

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      Due May 9th at 9:00 am.


    • Turnitin Assignment 2

      Figure 2 Draft

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      Due Monday April 25th at 9:00 am. Your draft should include the following information for gram staining (paneled images) and the disc diffusion assay (table):

      1. Materials and Methods Section
      2. Results text
      3. Results figure and table with a caption.


    • Turnitin Assignment 2

      Figure 1 Draft

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      Due March 14th by 9:00 am. Draft of Figure 1 with Caption, Results text, and Materials and Methods for the Sloss/Residential colony counting and diversity analysis experiment. 

      *** This must be turned in as a .doc file. If you have issues with Turnitin, you must 1) email your lab instructor immediately and 2) include a copy of your paper as an attachment. That is the only that it will not be considered late.***

      The data for analysis can be found here: Google Sheet

      Available Resources:
      1. Materials and Methods Workshop on LabArchives
      2. Results Writing Workshop on LabArchives
      3. Figure 1 Draft Rubric
      4. Knisely Book
      5. BSC Writing Center - For Appointment or more information

  • Writing Resources

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