Teaching dynamic mechanisms in signaling pathways using computational simulations

Abstract

Teaching the various contents of signaling in molecular biology to students is challenging. The mechanistic details between the ‘wiring diagram’ of signaling and the cellular outcomes are usually missing in textbooks. Students always feel exhausted when they have to complete the mandatory courses on molecular biology. In current work, MATLAB simulations were introduced to interpret the intrinsically dynamic mechanisms of key signaling pathways. The theoretical basis was first introduced and then two examples related to intrinsic apoptosis and p53 pathway were provided. The high-performance of MATLAB visualization can also help students improve their experiences in learning molecular biology. The strategy of using MATLAB simulations was primarily designed for illustrative purposes and some simply exercises were given for students. The response of students to the questionnaire is generally more positive concerning the suitability of using MATLAB simulations. Most students were interested in the molecular biology courses with modeling contents. We argue that the computational tool may be a useful alternative for engaging students and helps reinforce understanding of signaling pathways.