Dear learners, welcome to the laboratory course of Molecular Basis of Non-infectious Human Diseases (BBCEL-146). The lab exercises provided in this manual are based on the syllabus that you have studied in the theory course of BBCET-145. This lab course is of 2 credits and contains six laboratory experiments. This lab course will give you "hands-on laboratory experience" which will enhance your understanding about the common nutritional disorders and lifestyle diseases discussed in the theory course. This lab course will also improve your scientific thinking, observational capacity, and practical skills.

Before you begin performing the experiment, you should read the principles and procedure for each experiment in this course. It's always a good idea to make all of the reagents fresh and store them under controlled conditions. When handling the reagents, adhere to all safety precautions and follow the safety instructions. Maintaining your log books up to date, i.e. entering the observations made while performing the experiments, is one of the best laboratory practices. During lab sessions, keep this laboratory manual and your log book with you. This is an intensive residential exercise, like all other IGNOU laboratory courses, requiring one week to complete two credits. In each practical session you shall perform exercises for 3 hours and in the remaining 1 hour you are advised to complete your practical note book. The laboratory notebook must be submitted to the counsellor for corrections and grading. 70% marks have been allocated for doing the experiments and for recording it properly. You are aware that there is a time constraint as you will have limited access to laboratory work; therefore, you are required not to miss any of the laboratory sessions. Assessment of the experiments will be graded and you will have to appear for the viva-voce at the end of the practical session. At the end of the laboratory session you should perform the assigned experiment, which will be graded and final assessment will be made based on the continuous performance during the laboratory sessions, maintenance of log books and records followed by viva-voce. 30% marks are reserved for the assigned experiments. For the better understanding of how to use laboratory apparatus few video links shall be provided where ever available. 

After studying and performing the lab exercise of this course, you should be able to:  

• define anthropometry;  explain parameters used in anthropometry;  

• perform anthropometric measurements;  explain the protein energy malnutrition; 

•  identify the symptoms and features of Marasmus and Kwashiorkor;  

• differentiate between kwashiorkor and marasmus;  

• identify the obesity by Body Mass Index (BMI);  

• determine glycosylated hemoglobin in blood sample;  

• observe the permanent slides of cancer cells using the compound microscope;  

• enlist the features of different types of cancers;  

• assess diagnostic profile of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus;  

• discuss the signification of the bone densitometry.