BIOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES, a subsidiary subject of B.Sc.  Zoology main degree course, deals with various techniques employed in biological science.  The main objective of the subject is to make the students of Zoology experts in biological specimen preparation, museology, taxidermy etc. and to make them aware of the emerging trends in biological sciences.

The well-equipped lab which was set up after visiting many established research labs has facilities for   advanced research in frontier areas of biological sciences. This is of great relevance in the context of the college's location close to the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary where there is immense scope for biological research. The lab has advanced equipment like Phase-contrast microscope with photomicrography facility, Digital Spectrophotometer, Colorimeter etc., among others.

 

SYLLABUS FOR THE FIRST YEAR B.SC. COURSE HAS THREE DIVISIONS –

(a) General Laboratory Techniques (which is comprised of basic laboratory techniques like preparation of distilled and de-ionized water, sterilizations, preparation of solutions, pH, organic solvents etc.

(b) General Biological Techniques (includes culture media preparation, staining techniques for animal and plant specimens, fixation of animal specimens, histological specimen preparation, tissue techniques, microtomy etc.)  And

(c) Laboratory Equipment and Techniques (It covers basic principles, construction and uses of common laboratory equipment used in biology labs; chromatography, electrophoresis, centrifugation, spectrophotometry etc.)

 

FOR THE SECOND YEAR, THE SYLLABUS HAS BEEN DIVIDED INTO FOUR SECTIONS:

a) Radiological and Biochemical Techniques (It includes radio-isotopes, their   application, autoradiography, biochemical estimation of glucose, uric acid etc. in blood etc.)

b)  Advanced Biological Techniques (It covers most advanced techniques like DNA-finger printing,   Southern, Northern and Western blotting techniques, ELISA, tissue culture, immunological techniques, hybridoma technology etc.)

c) Preparation of Biological Specimens (It deals with herbarium techniques for plant specimens, animal specimen collection techniques, taxidermy, museology, skeletal specimen preparation, preparation of museum specimens, aquarium, terrarium etc.)

(d) Preparation of Permanent Slides (It includes stains and staining of anatomical, histological, cytological, microbial etc specimens; preparation of blood smear; preparation of permanent slides of mitosis, meiosis etc.

 

FACULTY MEMBERS:

Dr P K Prasadan, MSc PhD (On Deputation as Course Director, Dept. of Zoology, Kannur University) 

Dr  A. R. Sudha Devi  MSc, MPhil, PhD  (Director of the Research Centre in Zoology)