This course will provide students with hands-on experience in classical and modern microbiological techniques. General laboratory exercises include: sterile culturing and enumeration of microbes, analysis of environmental and metabolic requirements for microbial growth, and microscopy. Molecular microbiological techniques such as DNA extraction and analysis will be used in microbial identification exercises. Basic computational tools will be used to identify microbes and understand evolutionary relatedness shared between different organisms. Special discussion topics will address the ethics of creating genetically modified microorganisms for medical and industrial applications. Protective eyewear and a laboratory coat are required.