Lecture, three hours; laboratory, eight hours. Requisites: course 101, Life Sciences 3, 4, and 23L, or 7A, 7B, and 23L. Course 109AL is enforced requisite to 109BL. Limited to Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics premajors and majors and Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology majors. Research-oriented laboratory experience designed to promote discovery of novel microorganisms. Working in teams, students conduct research projects that incorporate techniques in microbiology and molecular biology and involve use of bioinformatics tools and phylogenetics software for data analysis. Emphasis on reading and understanding scientific literature as well as improving critical thinking skills such as ability to create and evaluate hypotheses or experimentally address scientific questions. Critical aspects of research process, including record keeping, ethics, laboratory safety and citizenry, mechanics of scientific writing, and project responsibilities and ownership. Letter grading.