Basic Molecular Biology Module 4: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Real-Time PCR
Description
Molecular techniques have been widely used in clinical diagnosis, e.g., diagnosing disease, predicting disease course, and identifying infectious agents. This basic molecular biology course series will introduce the scientific background for molecular diagnosis, the principles of molecular biology laboratory practice, and common methods.
This basic-level eLearning course provides information on the principle of PCR and real-time PCR. Topics covered include PCR steps, PCR product analysis, and real-time PCR characteristics.
Audience
This online course is designed for public health and clinical laboratory staff, and persons interested in PCR and real-time PCR techniques.
Accessibility
Course content is closed captioned, where applicable, and optimized for a screen reader.
Objectives
At the end of this course, learners should be able to:
- Explain the basic steps involved in PCR
- Identify the components of PCR, reverse transcription PCR, and PCR product analysis
- Recognize the characteristics of real-time PCR
- Identify the techniques used to detect products in real-time PCR
- Differentiate the nucleic acid quantification processes used in real-time PCR
- Explain the roles of PCR controls
Continuing Education (CE)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Laboratory Systems is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program. This course is approved for 1.0 contact hours. P.A.C.E.® Course Number: 288-011-23.
Basic Molecular Biology Module 3: Nucleic Acid Extraction
Description
Molecular techniques have been widely used in clinical diagnosis, e.g., diagnosing disease, predicting disease course, and identifying infectious agents. This basic Molecular Biology course series will introduce the scientific background for molecular diagnosis, the principles of molecular biology laboratory practice, and common methods.
This basic-level eLearning course, Module 3, provides information on nucleic acid extraction. Topics covered include extraction method selection, basic extraction steps, and nucleic acid analysis.
Audience
This online course is designed for public health and clinical laboratory staff and persons interested in nucleic acid extraction.
Accessibility
Course content is closed captioned, where applicable, and optimized for a screen reader.
Objectives
At the end of this course, learners should be able to:
- Identify the four major factors used in selection of the nucleic acid extraction method
- Outline the three basic steps in nucleic acid extraction
- Explain how to analyze nucleic acid quantity and purity by spectrophotometry and gel electrophoresis
- Identify common problems in nucleic acid extraction
Continuing Education (CE)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Laboratory Systems is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program. This course is approved for 1.0 contact hours.
P.A.C.E.® course number: 288-010-23.
Job Aids
Basic Molecular Biology Module 2: Laboratory Practice
Description
Molecular techniques have been widely used in clinical diagnosis, e.g., diagnosing disease, predicting disease course, and identifying infectious agents. This basic molecular biology course series will introduce the scientific background for molecular diagnosis, the principles of molecular biology laboratory practice, and common methods.
This basic-level eLearning course provides information on general laboratory practices. Topics covered include biosafety practices, laboratory area flow, and practices to minimize contamination.
Audience
This online course is designed for public health and clinical laboratory staff and persons interested in molecular biology laboratory practice.
Accessibility
Course content is closed captioned, where applicable, and optimized for a screen reader.
Objectives
At the end of this course, learners should be able to:
- Identify the general practices and biohazards associated with performing molecular biology procedures in BSL-1 and BSL-2 laboratories
- Explain the differences of the working areas needed to perform procedures in molecular biology
- Outline the unidirectional workflow used to minimize contamination in the laboratory
- Identify general decontamination practices in the molecular biology laboratory
Continuing Education (CE)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Laboratory Systems is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program. This course is approved for 1.0 contact hours.
P.A.C.E.® Course Number: 288-022-23
Basic Molecular Biology Module 1: Basic Science
Description
Molecular techniques have been widely used in clinical diagnosis, e.g., diagnosing disease, predicting disease course, and identifying infectious agents. This basic molecular biology course series will introduce the scientific background for molecular diagnosis, the principles of molecular biology laboratory practice, and common methods.
The basic-level eLearning course provides information on the fundamental characteristics of DNA and RNA, nucleotide base-pairing rules, and the basic techniques and workflow applied in molecular diagnostics.
Audience
This online course is designed for public health and clinical laboratory staff and persons interested in the basic science of molecular biology.
Accessibility
Course content is closed captioned, where applicable, and optimized for a screen reader.
Objectives
At the end of this course, learners should be able to:
- Identify techniques in molecular diagnostics
- Identify the workflow of molecular diagnostics
- Predict the DNA sequences based on base-pairing rules
- Differentiate the characteristics of DNA and RNA
- Identify the process of DNA replication and RNA transcription
Continuing Education (CE)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Laboratory Systems is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program. This course is approved for 1.0 contact hours.
P.A.C.E. ® Course Number: 288-008-23