TECHNOLOGIST AND INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIST IN MOLECULAR

BIOLOGY, MB(ASCP) AND MB(ASCP i )

EXAMINATION CONTENT GUIDELINE

EXAMINATION MODEL
The MB(ASCP) and MB(ASCPi) certification examinations are composed of 100 questions given in a 2 hour 30 minute time
frame. All exam questions are multiple-choice with one best answer. The certification exam is administered using the
format of computer adaptive testing (CAT).
With CAT, when a person answers a question correctly, the next test question has a higher level of difficulty. The difficulty
level of the questions presented to the examinee continues to increase until a question is answered incorrectly. Then an
easier question is presented. In this way, the test is tailored to the individual’s ability level.
Each question in the test bank is calibrated for level of difficulty and is classified by content area. The content area aligns
with the examination specific content outline. The examinee must answer enough questions correctly to achieve a
measure above the pass point in order to successfully pass the certification examination. There is no set number of
questions one must answer to pass, nor is there a set percentage one must achieve to pass. If at the end of the exam the
examinee’s score is above the pass point, then he or she passes the exam.

EXAMINATION CONTENT AREAS

The MB exam questions encompass the following content areas within Molecular Biology: Molecular Science, Molecular
Techniques, Laboratory Operations, and Applications of Molecular Testing. Each of these content areas comprises a
specific percentage of the overall 100-question exam. The content areas and percentages are described below:

EXAM
CONTENT AREA DESCRIPTION
PERCENTAGE

Nucleic acid chemistry, basic molecular theory, biochemical

MOLECULAR SCIENCE 20 – 25%
reagents, and human/microbial genetics

Nucleic acid isolation, manipulation of RNA/DNA, separation and

MOLECULAR
detection, nucleic acid amplification, sequencing, and other 30 – 35%
TECHNIQUES
molecular techniques
Contamination, specimen processing/preparation/storage, reagents
(selection, preparation, storage, disposal, and documentation),
LABORATORY assays (performance, validation, and troubleshooting), results
15 – 20%
OPERATIONS (calculation, interpretation, and reporting), quality control,
proficiency testing, equipment and instrumentation, guidelines and
regulations, continuing education, competency, and safety

APPLICATIONS OF Infectious disease, oncology, genetic disorders, genetic identity,

30 – 35%
MOLECULAR TESTING engraftment, and pharmacogenomics

For a more specific overview of the MB exam, please refer to the CONTENT OUTLINE starting on page 2.

ASCP BOC 33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60603 | www.ascp.org/boc | Revised: April 2023 | Page 1 of 3
TECHNOLOGIST AND INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIST IN MOLECULAR
BIOLOGY, MB(ASCP) AND MB(ASCP i )
EXAMINATION CONTENT OUTLINE

Exam questions may be both theoretical and/or procedural. Theoretical questions measure skills necessary to apply
knowledge, calculate results, and correlate patient results to disease states. Procedural questions measure skills necessary
to perform laboratory techniques and follow quality assurance protocols. Additionally, regulatory questions are based on
U.S. sources (e.g., AABB, FDA, CLIA).

I. MOLECULAR SCIENCE (20 – 25%) C. Separation and Detection

A. Nucleic Acid Chemistry 1. Electrophoresis
1. Sugars a. Gel (including agarose and acrylamide)
2. Bases b. Capillary
3. Chemical structure 2. Probe stringency
4. Associated proteins 3. Probe hybridization
5. Mutations 4. Nucleic acid purification
B. Basic Molecular Theory 5. Probe structure (e.g., TaqMan, FRET,
1. Replication simple, beacon, Scorpions)
2. Transcription D. Nucleic Acid Amplification
3. Exons, introns, and splicing 1. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
4. Translation a. Oligonucleotide design and preparation
5. Chromosome structure b. Reaction optimization
6. Extrachromosomal structure (e.g., phage, 2. PCR variations (e.g., real-time,
plasmid, mitochondrial) nested/hemi-nested, multiplex, arrays,
7. Protein structure reverse transcriptase, allele-specific,
C. Biochemical Reagents digital)
1. Polymerase enzymes 3. Other (e.g., Hybrid Capture, sequence-
a. DNA based [NASBA], transcription-mediated
b. RNA technology [TMA], loop-mediated
2. Endo and exonuclease enzymes isothermal amplification [LAMP])
3. Reverse transcriptase E. Sequencing
4. DNA ligase 1. Sanger sequencing
5. Assay development and design 2. Next-generation sequencing (NGS)
D. Genetics 3. Other (e.g., pyrosequencing, RNA
1. Human sequencing)
2. Microbial 4. Bioinformatics (e.g., file processing,
pipeline, quality score, read depth)
F. Other Techniques
II. MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES (30 – 35%)
1. Melt-curve analysis
A. Nucleic Acid Isolation
2. Epigenetic modification detection
1. Automated methods
3. Array technology (e.g., bead, microarray)
2. Manual methods
4. Mass spectrometry (e.g., MALDI-TOF MS)
B. Manipulation of RNA/DNA
1. Nucleic acid labeling
2. Restriction fragment length polymorphism
(RFLP)
3. Bisulfite conversion

ASCP BOC 33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60603 | www.ascp.org/boc | Revised: April 2023 | Page 2 of 3
III. LABORATORY OPERATIONS (15 – 20%) IV. APPLICATIONS OF MOLECULAR TESTING
A. Contamination (e.g., biological, amplified, and (30 – 35%)
non-amplified nucleic acid) A. Infectious Disease
1. Prevention 1. Qualitative analysis (e.g., MRSA,
2. Monitoring and detection Clostridioides difficile, respiratory
3. Elimination pathogens, STI)
B. Quality Assurance 2. Quantitative analysis (e.g., viral load)
1. Specimen processing, preparation, 3. Genotypic characterization (e.g., molecular
transport, and storage epidemiology, viral typing, resistance
a. Evaluate quality and quantity of testing)
specimen B. Oncology
b. Evaluate quality and quantity of nucleic 1. Leukemias/lymphomas (e.g., CML, ALL,
acid translocations, clonal rearrangements)
2. Reagent selection, preparation (including 2. Solid tumors
calculations), storage, disposal, and 3. Hereditary cancer syndromes (e.g., breast,
documentation colon, ovarian)
3. Assay performance and validation C. Genetics
4. Assay troubleshooting 1. Hemoglobinopathies (e.g., thalassemias,
5. Result calculation, interpretation, and sickle cell anemias)
reporting 2. Coagulopathies (e.g., factor V Leiden,
6. Quality control and proficiency testing prothrombin)
a. Assay controls 3. Trinucleotide repeat disorders (e.g., fragile
b. Proficiency testing X, Huntington, muscular dystrophy)
7. Equipment and instrumentation: principles, 4. Single gene disorders (e.g., cystic fibrosis,
calibration, maintenance, troubleshooting, Gaucher, hereditary hemochromatosis)
and validation 5. Epigenetic disorders (e.g., Prader-Willi,
C. Guidelines and Regulations Angelman)
1. Test system categories: analyte-specific 6. Disease-associated HLA
reagent (ASR), research use only (RUO), in D. Other
vitro diagnostic (IVD), and laboratory- 1. Genetic identity (e.g., parentage, specimen
developed procedure (LDP) identification)
2. Regulations and Standards: CLIA, TJC, CAP, 2. Engraftment
CMS, CLSI, and FDA 3. Pharmacogenomics (e.g., trastuzumab,
D. Personnel warfarin, clopidogrel, carbamazepine)
1. Continuing education
2. Competency
Examples provided (as indicated by e.g.) are not limited
E. Safety
to those listed.
1. Handling/disposal of hazardous materials
a. Biological All Board of Certification examinations use
b. Chemical conventional and SI units for results and reference
ranges.

END OF CONTENT GUIDELINE

ASCP BOC 33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60603 | www.ascp.org/boc | Revised: April 2023 | Page 3 of 3