UofG Molecular Methods vs BioCaL

Undertaking a molecular course as part of our degree? This app is aimed at students undertaking a Molecular Methods course as part of their Life Science degree programmes at the University of Glasgow, however, students from other Higher education establishments who are carrying out molecular biology practical work may also find it useful. Features include: - Information about different molecular techniques that are currently used in molecular labs. - A set of workflow diagrams for each step of some key molecular biology techniques. - Multiple choice quizzes to test your knowledge of molecular biology practicals! - A simple interactive calculator allowing you to convert volumes/molarities/mass etc. - A glossary of terms used in molecular biology labs. - Educational videos and images to help you learn more about PCR primer design, restriction mapping and other important aspects of the molecular methods lab.

Experimental research in molecular biology requires fundamental techniques such as restriction enzyme digestion and DNA ligation, which are essential for recombinant DNA technology and widely practiced in laboratories worldwide. Mastering these techniques is crucial for progress in biological research. Our app simplifies these processes by providing precise volumes for each component required in restriction digestion and ligation reactions. Users no longer need to calculate DNA volumes manually; instead, they input the desired DNA concentration, and the app calculates the necessary volumes for your reactions. The app then conveniently provides these volumes, so you can quickly set up your reactions ready for incubation at the appropriate temperatures in Eppendorf tubes. Additionally, our app offers the necessary DNA volumes for DNA assembly reactions, accommodating up to six different DNA fragment assemblies when constructing and using two or more DNA molecules. This user-friendly app ensures seamless operation, allowing instant use without the need for detailed instructions. It also guides users in sampling volumes to normalize mass and molar concentration across tubes with containing different DNA concentrations and sizes. Furthermore, it provides options for calculating various physical quantities of DNA and RNA of interest. Please note that all calculations involving DNA experiments are performed on double-stranded DNA molecules in BioCaL. The app also includes features for normalizing cell optical density to adjust the number of cells taken from different samples, as well as evaluating plasmid DNA copy number per cell and cosmid packaging efficiency, facilitating thorough analysis and efficient experiments.