Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Back to Syllabus Search | Browse by Department
Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Genetics Lab (Face-to-Face)

BIOL 3065-04

Course: BIOL 3065-04
Credits: 1
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Biology
CRN: 30551

Course Description

Lab to accompany BIOL 3060. One three-hour meeting per week. A minimum grade of "C" (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a biological science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other biology course. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Co-requisite(s): BIOL 3060

Instructor

Dr. Marcos Corchado-Sonera 

·       Office hours: SCA 202 | MWRF 3:00pm – 4:15pm 

·       Email: marcoscorchadosonera@suu.edu 

Background 

I am an Assistant Professor of Biology at Southern Utah University, where I teach Genetics, Developmental Biology, and Bioinformatics. I earned my Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from The Ohio State University, where my research focused on developmental genetics, cell communication, and evolutionary developmental biology using the nematode C. elegans. I studied how cells communicate during development and disease, as well as how developmental processes evolve among closely related species. My current research uses genomics and bioinformatics to address questions in conservation, ecology, and human health. This work includes studying threatened and endangered species, investigating ecological processes involving microbial communities and harmful algal blooms, and using genomic approaches to better understand genetic diseases such as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Across these areas, I am interested in using modern sequencing and computational tools to better understand biological diversity, environmental interactions, and disease. 

Communication policy 

I will do my best to respond to messages within 24 hours during weekdays. I typically do not respond to messages in the evenings, on weekends, or on holidays. 

Required Texts

None (handouts will be provided to students). 

Learning Outcomes

This lab course is designed to help students become conversant in the language and application of modern genetics and science in general. The goal of this course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) is to help you to (1) learn genetics lab skills, (2) use scientific practices, (3) generate new understandings of the natural world, (4) contribute to a real research project, (5) develop your collaborative research skills, and (6) learn how iteration (i.e. repetition) is an important part of the research process. I will assess how much you learn over the course of the semester with practicals and at the beginning and end of the semester. After successfully completing this course, most students should be able to complete several specific learning objectives. 

Upon successful completion of this course, you should know / understand: 

·       How precision and accuracy influence the results of genetics lab techniques (SUU ELO 11.0) 

·       You should be able to: Properly use a micropipette; Make buffer solutions in the correct concentrations 

·       Assessed with: Notebook entries, Lab practicals 

·       How the physical characteristics of DNA and RNA cause them to be extracted differently (SUU ELO 11.0) 

·       You should be able to: Extract DNA from biological samples 

·       Assessed with: Notebook entries, Lab practicals 

·       How to visualize DNA on agarose gels (SUU ELO 11.0) 

·       You should be able to: Load an agarose gel and use electrophoresis to move DNA through the gel 

·       Assessed with: Notebook entries, Lab practicals 

·       How Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) works to amplify DNA (SUU ELO 11.0) 

·       You should be able to: Set up a PCR and measure amplified DNA 

·       Assessed with: Notebook entries, Lab practicals 

·       How DNA sequencing occurs and what it means. (SUU ELO 11.0) 

·       You should be able to: Interpret sequencing data from an external lab facility 

·       Assessed with: Notebook entries, Lab practicals 

·       How DNA barcodes are used to identify organisms and answer research questions. (SUU ELO 11.0) 

·       You should be able to: Upload your organism’s DNA sequence to BOLD or BLAST then taxonomically identify it. 

·       Assessed with: Notebook entries Research poster, Class presentation 

·       How scientific practices are used in a genetics lab. (SUU ELO 15.0) 

·       You should be able to: Ask questions related to problems that can be solved with genetic techniques; propose hypotheses; select appropriate genetic methods; gather and analyze genetic data; interpret messy real world data; and present data to an audience of your peers or non-peers. 

·       Assessed with: Class presentation, Research poster, Teamwork assignments 

·       How to effectively engage in a scientific collaboration to develop your skills in working with a group to complete a genetics-based research project.  (SUU ELO 15.0) 

·       You should be able to: Contribute to team meetings, facilitate the contributions of team members, fulfill your individual contributions outside of team meetings, and foster a constructive team climate to further the collaborative goals of your team. 

·       Assessed with: Teamwork assignments 

·       How the process of scientific discovery is applied in genetics.  (SUU ELO 4.0) 

·       You should be able to: Identify when your genetic results are sufficiently convincing to draw conclusions and be worthy of contribution to the larger research database for this project. 

·       Assessed with: Notebook entries, Teamwork assignments, Research poster 

·       How scientists use pilot data to build their research programs.  (SUU ELO 4.0) 

·       You should be able to: Create a convincing figure or table. 

·       Assessed with: Research poster 

Course Requirements

Assignments 

Your grades and assignment information will all be found on Canvas. Some assignments will be submitted on Canvas. The total points available will be based on the following course assignments. The number of assignments may vary slightly. 

Canvas Safety Contract and Quiz 

This is a simple Canvas quiz demonstrating that you understand the course’s safety rules and that you will keep them by signing your name online. 

Practicals 

These questions are asking for written descriptions of your understanding of best lab practices. Practical 1 is early in the semester, so you can demonstrate that you are ready to proceed with lab work. Practical 2 is at the end of the semester to demonstrate that you have learned proper genetics lab practices and can explain the main ideas behind the things we do. 

Teamwork Assignments 

You will complete three teamwork assignments that will help you to learn about genetics, develop competency as a scientist, become part of a scientific community, and work with a team to create a genetics research presentation. 

·       Teamwork assignments 1 and 2: forming a research team and using primary literature. Work with your team to review research papers related to the background and methods of your research. 

·       Teamwork assignment 3: working with a team to analyze next-generation sequencing data. Work with your team to clean and format sequencing data and generate figures. 

Notebook Entries 

These are summaries of what you did during the lab. You will grade your lab mates’ notebooks using a rubric on key lab days. 

Research Poster and Presentation 

This is a summary of what you have researched this semester, which you will present to the class at the end of the semester. 

Points Breakdown 

·       Pre/Post-test, safety quiz + contract — 25 points × 1 = 25 

·       Practical 1 — 25 points × 1 = 25 

·       Teamwork Assignments — 40 points × 3 = 120 

·       Research Notebook Entries — 50 points × 6 = 300 

·       Research Poster Draft — 50 points × 1 = 50 

·       Research Poster Final — 100 points × 1 = 100 

·       Practical 2 — 50 points × 1 = 50 

·       Total — 670 points 

Grading Scale

You must earn a minimum grade of “C” (2.0 or above) in this course for it to be counted in a biological science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other biology course. The percentage/letter grade scale is below; the number in parentheses is the corresponding 4.0-scale grade.

·       A — 93.0% and above (4.0)

·       A- — 90.0% (3.7)

·       B+ — 86.0% (3.3)

·       B — 83.0% (3.0)

·       B- — 80.0% (2.7)

·       C+ — 76.0% (2.3)

·       C — 73.0% (2.0)

·       C- — 70.0% (1.7)

·       D+ — 66.0% (1.3)

·       D — 63.0% (1.0)

·       D- — 60.0% (0.7)

·       F — below 60.0% (0.0)

Course Outline

Please keep track of Canvas assignments and course announcements by checking Canvas regularly. I will also post updated versions of the syllabus on Canvas as needed.

Week 1 

·       Fri, Sep 4 — First Week of Classes - No Lab 

Week 2 

·       Fri, Sep 11 — Lab 1 | Pre-course learning assessment 

·       Due: Safety Quiz & Contract 

Week 3 

·       Fri, Sep 18 — Lab 2 | Review of lab skills, significant figures, and making solutions 

·       Due: Teamwork Assignment #1 

·       Due: Molecular Techniques and Solutions Worksheet 

Week 4 

·       Fri, Sep 25 — Lab 3 | DNA extraction of practice samples 

·       Practical 1 

·       Due: Research Notebook | Lab 3 

Week 5 

·       Fri, Oct 2 — Lab 4 | DNA extraction with environmental samples 

·       Due: Research Notebook | Lab 4 

Week 6 

·       Fri, Oct 9 — Lab 5 | Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of eDNA 

·       Due: Research Notebook | Lab 5 

Week 7 

·       Fri, Oct 16 — Lab 6 | Gel electrophoresis of PCR Samples 

·       Due: DNA Ladder Graph 

·       Due: Teamwork Assignment #2 

·       Due: Research Notebook | Lab 6 

Week 8 

·       Fri, Oct 23 — Fall Break - No Lab 

Week 9 

·       Fri, Oct 30 — Lab 7 | Primer Design Workshop 

·       Due: Primer Design Worksheet 

Week 10 

·       Fri, Nov 6 — Lab 8 | Library Preparation for 16S Barcoding | Part I ● 16S barcoded PCR amplification 

·       Due: Research Notebook | Lab 8 

Week 11 

·       Fri, Nov 13 — Lab 9 | Library Preparation for 16S Barcoding | Part II Sample pooling and bead clean-up Adapter attachment Priming and loading the flow cell Next Day: Start Bioinformatics Analysis 

·       Due: Research Notebook | Lab 9 

Week 12 

·       Fri, Nov 20 — Lab 10 | Analyzing NGS Data 

Week 13 

·       Fri, Nov 27 — Thanksgiving Break - No Lab 

Week 14 

·       Fri, Dec 4 — Lab 11 | Research Poster Draft 

·       Practical 2 

·       Due: Teamwork Assignment #3 

·       Due: Research Poster Draft 

Week 15 

·       Fri, Dec 11 — Lab 12 | Research Poster Presentation 

·       Due: Research Poster (Final Version) 

Week 16 

·       Fri, Dec 18 — Final Exams Week - No Lab 

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

All assignments are due on the assigned date/time. Assignments turned in late will be subject to a 10% reduction in points immediately (this reduction begins the minute the assignment is late, i.e., if the assignment is due at 10:00am, at 10:01am you will lose 10% of the points associated with that assignment) and 10% lost for every 24 hours thereafter. After 10 days, the assignment will no longer be accepted. If you need to turn in an assignment late due to extenuating circumstances, i.e., university-sponsored travel, illness, ADA accommodation, etc., please contact me at least 3 days before the due date to discuss the issue and work together to find a solution (obviously, some things, like hospitalizations, prevent this). Please note that I do not guarantee I can provide an accommodation for every assignment.

Attendance Policy

Attendance 

Attendance in this course is taken seriously. Please read the following statement carefully to avoid setbacks. Timely arrival is important; showing up late is disrespectful to your fellow students and me. If you know you will frequently be late, please contact me so we can discuss options for full participation. 

iClicker 

iClicker student app is used to take attendance in this course. This means that students need to check in to iClicker each class (this can be done on their phone). If you can’t log into iClicker, you will need to notify me before class ends. Any notifications made after class will not be considered, and the student will receive no participation points for that day. 

Absences 

Laboratory courses are as much about the experience of being in the lab as they are about the content you will learn. Attendance in this course is taken seriously. Please read the following statement carefully to avoid setbacks. An unexcused absence will result in a zero for all work assigned that day. Timely arrival is important; showing up late is disrespectful to your fellow students and me. Therefore, if you arrive at the lab 5 minutes or more past the start time, you will only receive 50% of the possible points for the day’s assignments. If you know you will frequently be late, please contact me so we can discuss options for full participation. You should also plan to be in the lab for the entire three hours; leaving early, unless I allow it, will result in a point deduction equal to the percentage of time missed. 

Examples of excused absences 

·       Covid-19-related absences 

·       Medical emergencies 

·       Accidents 

·       Inclement weather (snowstorms, floods, etc.) 

·       Interviews for jobs, internships, med school, etc. 

·       Conferences related to academia 

·       University-sponsored absences for student-athletes 

·       Military leave 

·       Jury duty 

Examples of unexcused absences 

·       Family/personal trips and vacations 

·       Job shifts 

·       Attending another professor’s lecture or office hours 

·       Sleeping in/forgetting about class 

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.