Gain an introduction to pathogens as you learn how to use PCR to analyse DNA and identify infectious diseases. On this four-week course, you’ll learn how to perform different molecular biology techniques for effective aquatic pathogen detection. Using white shrimp as your test subject, you’ll develop the skills to identify diseases, detect pathogens, and summarise your results in a report that can help with disease control.
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Develop essential skills for disease prevention
Molecular biology techniques have become a well-established, accurate, and effective way to obtain pathogen detection results. This makes these techniques very powerful not only in aquatic pathogen detection but also other industries such as animal agriculture and in hospitals for human disease.
Understand the steps of RNA extraction
You’ll start by examining the anatomy of a white shrimp to help you identify the signs of three common diseases. With this knowledge, you’ll then explore how to prevent these diseases.
Next, you’ll learn DNA and total RNA extraction techniques to help you begin your analysis of white shrimp tissue.
Learn the procedures of cDNA synthesis and polymerase chain reaction
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) plays an important role in the early detection and prevention of infectious diseases in aquaculture.
On the course, you’ll explore different PCR techniques, such as cDNA synthesis, to ensure you can detect shrimp viruses and potential causes of shrimp diseases.
Perform pathogen detection using molecular biology techniques
Finally, you’ll learn practical skills to perform pathogen detection using the molecular biology techniques explained on this course.
By the end, you’ll know how to collect and dissect diseased shrimp from farms, identify clinical signs of diseased shrimp, and perform tissue collections.
Syllabus
Week 1: Introduction of aquatic pathogen detection
Week 2: Chromosomal DNA extraction from white shrimp tissues
Week 3: RNA extraction from white shrimp tissues
Week 4: Procedures of RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Explore anatomy of white shrimp
- Interpret chromosomal DNA extraction from white shrimp tissues
- Interpret the steps of RNA extraction from white shrimp tissues
- Explain procedures of RNA Extraction and cDNA Synthesis
- Explain steps for standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
- Interpret steps for real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR)
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for anyone interested in molecular biology and pathogen detection.
It will be most beneficial for students, biologists, or researchers who would like to learn the basics of tissue collection, nucleic acid extraction, and pathogen detection in white shrimp.
