Online Resources for EDC/FFA Combined Biotechnology Skills Standards

"Combined Academic Knowledge Technical Skills, and Employability Skills from Bioscience and Agricultural Biotechnology Skills Standards."

By: Education Development Center, Inc. and FFA Foundation, Inc.  Web-site Annotation Compiled by Bio-Link Staff

TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

1)     Comprehend a technical vocabulary

a)     Biotechnology Terms Glossary   a searchable dictionary sponsored by Monsanto

b)     Biotech Life Science Dictionary  a searchable dictionary

c)       A Genetics Glossary  a searchable dictionary (The University of Edinburgh School of Biology)

2)     Follow protocol

a)     What is an SOP  Explanatory text and student exercises (requires free Bio-Link subscription)

b)       How to Understand and Interpret Food and Health-Related Scientific Studies (International Food Information Council)

3)     Maintain laboratory notebook

a)     Laboratory Notebooks A Bio-Link collection of detailed web sites on the importance of recordkeeping. (requires free Bio-Link subscription)

b)     Proper Maintenance of a Laboratory Notebook  Guidelines from legal standpoint (Darby & Darby Intellectual Property law)

c)      Guidelines for Keeping a Laboratory Record  Guidelines with examples (Rice University)

d)     Control and Use of Laboratory Notebooks (West Coast Analytical Service)

4)     Interact with vendors, colleague, and clients

5)     Write or update protocols, SOP's, manuals, reports, and technical summaries

a)     What is an SOP (requires free Bio-Link subscription)

b)     Preparation of Lab Reports Discussion of the purpose of the 5 sections of a lab report (New Hampshire Biotechnology Center)

SAFETY       

• There are many good laboratory safety web sites developed by institutions and Universities for their own use.  Some to check out:
• MATC  Laboratory Safety Education  Teaching safety in the laboratory, including a lab exercise
• CDC  Health and Safety Manuals On-line safety information from Ohasis and CDC
• Other WWW Sites LABORATORY SAFETY
• Michigan State U  Michigan State University Office of Radiation, Chemical & Biological Safety
• UC Davis  U California Davis Safety Nets (short subject-specific information sheets).
• University of Texas  UT's on-line safety manuals
• Laboratory Safety Institute  Not for profit organization interested in safety in science education

1)     Identify first aid supplies, personnel, emergency protection areas and evacuation plan

2)     Follow appropriate safety procedures, guidelines, and chemical hygiene plan

a)     OSHA's Laboratory Standard  OSHA's Laboratory safety regulations

b)     The Hazard Communication (Right-to-Know) Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200  Textual explanation (LabSafety.com)

c)      CDC Chemical Safety Manual 

d)     University of Vermont (University of Vermont's Chemical Hygiene Plan) 

e)     UC Davis General Guidelines for Management of Laboratory Chemicals

3)     Follow universal precautions for biological pathogens

a)     American Biological Safety Organization  (ABSA)

b)     Canadian Biosafety site  

c)      MSDS for Biological Organisms  

d)     CDC Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories  (BMBL)

e)     Michigan State Biosafety pages  

f)        OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard  (OSHA's regulations)

g)     Bloodborne Pathogens Training Manual  (University of Wisconsin)

4)     Follow use of laminar flow, fume hoods and biological safety cabinets

a)     CDC Primary Containment for Biohazards: 

b)     Fume Hood maintenance (Cornel University)

5)     Use protective equipment

a)     Recommendations for Chemical Protective Clothing (NIOSH chemical resistance information)

b)     Michigan State University Glove Guide Chemical Resistance in Gloves 

c)      What to Look for When Choosing Protective Eyewear (LabSafety.com)

d)     Selecting Chemical Protective Clothing for Vapor and Splash Protection  (LabSafety.com)

e)       Occupational Safety - Hand Protection (Environmental Safety) This site has a picture demonstration how to remove contaminated gloves

6)     Take appropriate protective measures while working around UV light

a)     Hazards of Ultraviolet Radiation (UC Davis SafetyNet)

b)     What to Look for When Choosing Protective Eyewear (LabSafety.com)

7)     Maintain safety equipment.

a)     Emergency Eyewashes & Showers - Proper Testing and Maintenance (LabSafety.com)

b)     Use, Placement, Maintenance and Testing of Portable Fire Extinguishers (LabSafety.com)

8)     Monitor, use, store and dispose of hazardous materials properly

a)     IRIS EPA hazardous materials database 

9)     Observe rules of safety with radioactive materials

a)     CDC Radiation Safety Manual 

b)     Michigan State  

c)      UC Davis guidelines  (UC Davis SafetyNet)

d)     Steps You Can Take to Limit Your Exposure to Radiation (UC Davis SafetyNet)

10) Attend required training

a)     UC Davis Need and responsibility for Training (UC Davis SafetyNet)

11) Observe rules of electric safety

a)     Workplace Electrical Safety Tips  (National Electric Safety Foundation)

b)     OSHA's Electrical safety pages 

c)       UC Davis' Electrical Safety Guidelines  (UC Davis SafetyNet)

d)       Electrical Safety (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH)

12) Recognize safety symbols/signs

a)     Labeling for Hazardous Communication (LabSafety.com)

b)     Identification and Segregation of Chemical Waste (UC Davis SafetyNet)

13) Maintain, understand, and follow materials safety data sheets (MSDS) and worker protection Standards (WPS)

a)     MSDS on-line Cornell University maintains numerous links to MSDS sites 

b)       MSDS Search  search by product or manufacturer

c)      NIOSH Chemical Carcinogen guide 

d)     Glossary of MSDS Terms (UC Davis SafetyNet)

14) Recognize common lab hazards and observe procedures for the safe use of instruments and gas cylinders

a)       Centrifuge safety Cornell University description of a centrifuge accident

b)     Fume Hood Safety (Cornell University) Guide, selection and maintenance

c)      Compressed Gas safety (UC Davis SafetyNet)

d)     Gas Cylinder Storage and Handling (LabSafety.com)

e)     Gas safety rules (Advanced Chemical Safety) 

f)        Safe use of Refrigerators and Freezers (UC Davis SafetyNet)

g)     Autoclave use (UC Davis SafetyNet)

h)      Needle and Syringe Safety (UC Davis SafetyNet)

15) Keep work area free from clutter

a)     Industrial Housekeeping - General Requirements (LabSafety.com)

b)     Protecting Products Against Contamination By Making Cleanliness a Daily Habit (GMP Institute)

BASIC LAB SKILLS

1)     Use scientific method

a)     Experimental Science Projects: An Introductory Level Guide (Mankato State University)

b)     Experimental Science Projects An Intermediate Level Guide (Mankato State University)

c)       Critical Thinking, The Scientific Method  - Teacher's guide (D.S. Adams, Smith College, Northampton, MA)

d)       John Snow (UCLA School of Epidemiology) Multimedia presentation of History of Cholera outbreak in 1858

2)     Obtain and read protocol, test procedure, standard operating procedures (SOPs)

a)     What is an SOP? (requires free Bio-Link subscription)

b)       Standard Operating Procedures (West Coast Analytical Service) Index of SOP’s used in testing

c)       Solutions, Reagents and Standards Preparation and Documentation (West Coast Analytical Service)

3)     Check equipment

a)     Instrument Qualification (WCAS SOP)

4)     Sterilize equipment where appropriate

a)       Antimicrobial Pesticides (EPA)

b)     Selecting Chemical Disinfectants (UC Davis SafetyNet) 

c)      Effective Use of Autoclaves (UC Davis SafetyNet)

d)     Autoclave Procedures (Michigan State University)

e)     Disinfectants and Antiseptics (LabSafety.com)

f)        Sterilization of plasticware (Nalgene)

5)     Prepare glassware

a)     Useful technical information on scientific glassware and products. (Bellco Glass)

b)     Use and Care of plasticware (Nalgene)

6)     Organize compounds

7)      Laboratory Chemical Safety (Flinn Scientific) Series of Safety tips for Chemistry Lab

8)     Perform mathematical calculations and conversions

a)     Units and Measures used in cell biology  (Dr. Heidcamp, Gustavus Adolphus College)

b)     Measurements (General Chemistry Online)

9)     Operate centrifuges

a)     Technical Tutorials Centrifugation (S. Wallman, New Hampshire Community Technical College)

b)     Centrifugation  (Dr. Heidcamp, Gustavus Adolphus College)

10) Use titration and pipetting techniques

a)     Pipetting Matters (Artel technical information)

b)     ChemLab (Dartmouth College)

c)      Instruction manuals (Rainin Pipetting Solutions)

d)       Quantitative Pipetting and Spectrophotometry (University of Havwaii, Microbiology Department) laboratory exercise

11) Prepare and dispense stock reagents, buffers, media and solutions

a)     Concentration Measurements and Solution Preparation (S. Wallman, New Hampshire Community Technical College)

b)     General Instructions For Solution Prepartion (S. Wallman, New Hampshire Community Technical College)

c)      Solutions, Reagents, and Standards Preparation and Documentation (WCAS SOP)

d)     Molarity, molality, or normality?  (Carolina Biological Supply Company) A quick review

e)     Solution Preparations  (Carolina Biological Supply Company)

f)        Preparation of some chemical solutions  (Dr., Gustavus Adolphus College)

12) Maintain reagent integrity (store properly, avoid cross-contamination, use at proper temperature, etc.)

13) Sterilize reagents, buffers, media and solutions where appropriate

a)     Preparing and Dispensing Media (University of Hawaii, Department of Microbiology)

14) Calculate and prepare dilution's series

a)       Serial Dilution of Sperm  (Stanford University) Lab exercise

15) Monitor physical properties of reagents, buffers, media and solution

a)     Understanding Conductivity (LabSafety.com)

b)     Technical Conductivity and Resistivity (Omega.com)

c)      Introduction to pH (Omega.com)

d)     Turbidity measurement (Omega.com)

16) Determine acceptability and optimum conditions of reagents for tests

17) Request tests and match request to test sample

18) Set up and work reactions

19) Prepare test subject (mentally and physically) for sampling

a)     Interpretive Guidelines: Laboratories (The Virtual Hospital) Guidelines for human testing

20) Assess acceptability/appropriateness of specimen

21) Obtain and label sample/specimen

22) Prepare sample for testing

23) Perform tests/assays: chemical, biological, clinical, environmental robotic, mechanical

24) Perform histotechniques where needed

a)     Histological Stains (Dental Histology)

b)     Histochemical and Cytochemical Knowledge Base (The Histochemical Society)

25) Perform basic separation techniques

a)     Chemical Separations (Supelco)

b)     Centrifugation  (Dr. Heidcamp, Gustavus Adolphus College)

c)       Cell Biology Laboratory Manual (Dr. Heidcamp, Gustavus Adolphus College) see "cell fractionation"

26) Operate chromatography equipment

a)     High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC): A Users Guide (University of Kentucky Analytical Spectroscopy Group)

27) Return, archive, or dispose of samples appropriately

28) Package, handle and ship biological materials

29) Maintain inventory of laboratory supplies

30) Order supplies and reagents

31) Date, label, store supplies and/or reagents

a)     The Do's and Don'ts of Chemical Labeling (Flinn Scientific, Inc.)

32) Maintain and store manufactured products inventory

MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTION

            New Hampshire Community College Biotechnology Manufacturing course 

            Introduction to Biochemical Engineering Bioengineering course RPI

            Biotech Chronicles Access Excellence Biotechnology links

1)       Follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and batch record

a)     What is an SOP? (requires free Bio-Link subscription)

b)     Index of Standard Operating Procedures (WCASlab) SOP examples posted on-line

c)      Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Writer's Guide (Los Alamos National Laboratory)

d)