SS022 Laboratory Skills for Biology and Health

This short lab-school provides the opportunity for laboratory-based practical work, helping to build confidence in practical science techniques including recording, interpreting and reporting data.

The module consists of practical work that you will carry out in laboratories and will build on learning outcomes from your study of other modules, particularly those from S285, S286 (or the predecessor module S285), S290, S296, SK297, SK298 and SK299. The laboratory work will focus on the acquisition of, and screening for, antibiotic resistance in bacterial populations.

Information for 2026

Venue: The Open University Campus, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA
Lab-school dates:Tuesday 16^th-Thursday 18^th June 2026 or Tuesday 23^rd-Thursday 25^th June 2026.
Tuition Fee:  £350
Registration for SS022 can only be completed by telephone. Call +44 (0) 300 303 5303. Lines are open between 8am and 5:30pm Monday to Friday. Registration will open on 2^nd March 2026 and will close on 18^th May 2026 or whenever all places have been taken.

Travel and accommodation
You will need to book and pay for your own accommodation, travel and food associated with the lab-school. The tuition fee for the course and these additional costs cannot be covered with a part time tuition fee loan. When booking accommodation please be aware of transportation requirements as the campus is several miles from the centre of Milton Keynes.

Experiments and techniques covered in the practical sessions 

Working in small teams, you will gain 18 hours of ‘hands-on’ laboratory practice with several widely used molecular and microbiological techniques to investigate bacterial antibiotic resistance. 

Techniques used include PCR, qPCR, agarose gel electrophoresis, bacterial plasmid transduction, micro-pipette handling, sterile working, serial dilution for bacterial enumeration and analysis of GFP expression. The laboratory protocols are designed to develop both good laboratory practice (GLP), good microbiological practice (GMP) and appropriate application of health and safety requirements in laboratory work.

You will perform 5 different activities:

Experiment 1: Selection of bacterial colonies using antibiotic resistance.

Experiment 2: Enumeration of bacterial inactivation

Experiment 3: Bacterial conjugation

Experiment 4: PCR amplification and agarose gel electrophoresis

Experiment 5: qPCR analysis of antibiotic resistance genes.

In addition to the hands-on laboratory work, you will also be developing your problem solving, numeracy, time-management, collaboration and communication skills.

There are no assignments for this practical school.  However, to pass and for your attendance to be included in your academic transcript on StudentHome, you will need to meet the participation requirement of attending more than 80% of the school. Whilst at the school you will record data, analysis and interpretations in your lab manual.  You may then include this as evidence within your portfolio for employability purposes.

What students completing SS022 in 2025 said about the laboratory school:

“I enjoyed the week a lot and want to thank the Module Team. It was time and money well spent!”

“OU staff were amazing! I really appreciate the thought and effort that went in the curriculum of the lab school.”

“Great lab school really enjoyed the experiments and would definitely attend future schools.”

“In addition to all we learned about microbiology – which was fabulous – I also really appreciate the extra info we were given about applying for PhD programmes, studentships and the tools of the labs.”

“Really enjoyed the 3 days, it has helped with understanding the experiments previously studied. It’s been very informative as well as fun. Thank you to all of the tutors!”