Emerging Topics in Life Sciences最新文献

We present a pair of case studies of undergraduate peer mentoring schemes in schools of life science to support student transition and reduce demographic awarding gaps. The first, PEMENTOS (PEer MEntoring TO Succeed), was piloted at Royal Holloway University of London to ease the transition to university for students from Black and Global Majority (BGM) backgrounds by fostering belonging and informal knowledge-sharing. The second, Kingston University's Academic Peer Mentoring Programme, was an institution-wide initiative offering flexible, department-led models of academic and psychosocial support. Evaluation of PEMENTOS showed increased mentee confidence, engagement and academic performance, with narrowing first-year grade gaps between BGM and White students. Mentees at Kingston, as shown by an analysis of their results across the university and in the Pharmaceutical Science course in particular, demonstrated greater pass and progression rates, with large gains among BTEC-qualified and commuting students. Both programmes also yielded developmental benefits for mentors. These case studies suggest that peer mentoring programmes can enhance undergraduate student success and inclusion in the life sciences. Key shared features - a high level of programme structure, alongside mentor training and compensation - may be particularly important.

Microbial nanowires are appendages that Bacteria and Archaea use to transfer electrons to external surfaces, such as minerals, electrodes, or other microbes. While initial studies suggested that nanowires were modified pili, recent advancements in cryo-EM revealed that microbial nanowires are composed of multi-heme c-type cytochromes. In this review, we discuss the discovery of microbial nanowires, advancements that allowed elucidation of their near-atomic resolution cryo-EM structures, and the impact of heme arrangement on electron transfer. We also discuss how new structural information can be used to identify filaments in images from published literature. The structural insights gained from these studies provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying long-range electron transport in microbial nanowires and their potential applications in bioelectronics and energy-generating microbial fuel cells.

This longitudinal study investigates the evolving inspirations and aspirations of first-year undergraduate students in Biosciences and Chemistry at Sheffield Hallam University over a five-year period (2018-2023). Students submitted reflective essays during Welcome Week, detailing their motivations for choosing their course and future career goals. Thematic analysis identified six recurring themes: named career, work experience, further study, experience of disease, outreach experience and Covid-19. While most themes remained stable over time, Covid-19 emerged in 2020 and peaked in 2021. Bivariate analysis revealed that Asian/Asian British and Black/Black British students were more likely to cite named careers as an aspiration for study, whilst marginalised ethnic groups were more likely to aspire to further study than their White/White British peers. The findings highlight the importance of aligning curriculum content with students' career goals and further study aspirations to enhance engagement and motivation. Recommendations include embedding diverse career pathways into course content, supporting progression into postgraduate study, and expanding outreach and work experience opportunities.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a rapid transition from face-to-face to mostly online learning in higher education. As staff became more familiar with teaching technology, their perception of online learning became more positive, and many expected substantial changes towards blended learning after the pandemic. This study aimed to investigate staff perceptions about lecture capture before and after the pandemic. A mixed-method survey of staff teaching biosciences was used to explore staff perceptions about the impact of lecture capture on student learning and on themselves. We found no significant difference in relation to the number of staff believing lecture capture to be beneficial for students in 2023 compared with 2019, although there was a trend towards a slight post-pandemic increase. In both years, the main concern of those who thought that recordings are detrimental to students was the negative impact on lecture attendance. When asked how staff feel about being recorded, the percentage of negative responses dropped significantly from 35% in 2019 to 14% in 2023. There was a four-fold decrease in the percentage of those who found lecture capture stressful. At the same time, more staff were concerned about where the recordings may end up and what they could be used for. The results indicate that staff have got used to lecture recordings and see some positive sides. On the other hand, even after the pandemic, many staff remain concerned about its impact on student learning.

Pre-laboratory exercises are assigned to promote student preparedness, but these provide no benefit if students do not engage. Students' perceived barriers to pre-laboratory-exercise engagement were identified via analysis of open and closed survey questions; key issues were time burden and perceived complexity. To facilitate future engagement, students suggested making pre-laboratory exercises clearer and easier to access with stylistic changes, as well as making them mandatory. Two interventions to first-year laboratories were implemented. First, LearnSci Smart Worksheets were deployed alongside traditional pre-laboratory exercises; these worksheets are interactive and scaffold learning. Second, the laboratory pass condition was changed from '70% physical attendance' to '80% engagement'. Engagement points were awarded for physically attending laboratory sessions (3 points) and for completing pre-laboratory exercises (0.5 points for traditional exercise, 0.5 points for Smart Worksheet exercise). Passing thus required a combination of physical attendance and completion of pre-laboratory exercises. Prior to the interventions, pre-laboratory exercises had low completion rates (16 ± 11% of students completed each monitored exercise). Post-interventions, 84 ± 3% of students completed each Smart Worksheet, and 79 ± 4% completed the traditional exercises. There was a statistically significant increase in mean laboratory test marks post-intervention (pre-intervention 65 ± 11%; post-intervention 72 ± 10%). Post-intervention, pre-laboratory exercise completion was significantly positively correlated with laboratory test marks. We hypothesise these two interventions increased incentives to engage with pre-laboratory exercises and so contributed to increasing student success.

This study explores how undergraduate students form and engage in peer-to-peer social media interactions within a blended learning environment. Drawing on questionnaire responses from 158 students and focus group data from 12 participants in the School of Biosciences and Chemistry at Sheffield Hallam University, we examine the platforms used, the nature of interactions, and the impact on student experience. WhatsApp, Snapchat and Instagram emerged as the most frequently used platforms, with students primarily discussing coursework, revision and module content. Social media groups were typically formed during face-to-face sessions early in the academic year, highlighting the importance of physical spaces in initiating digital networks. Analysis revealed a dynamic interplay between large cohort-wide groups and smaller, trusted peer groups, each serving distinct academic and social functions. Through focus groups, students reported increased motivation, improved attendance and enhanced learning through these interactions. However, those excluded from early group formation faced barriers to engagement and support. We utilised the 'Forming, Storming, Norming, Performance' framework to describe the evolution and impact of these digital peer networks. The findings underscore the need for educators to facilitate early group formation and ensure accessible and clear guidance to prevent misinformation spreading through groups. Practical recommendations are provided to support inclusive and effective digital learning spaces.

Proteins are the machinery for the processes of life. Each protein is made up of a defined combination of 20 building blocks, the amino acids. The animal kingdom is distinguished from most other forms of life by a half-billion-year-old choice to relinquish the synthesis of 9 of the 20 amino acids and instead rely on their dietary acquisition for protein synthesis. From that point onwards, animals entered into a permanent and obligatory hunt for these 'essential amino Acids' (EAAs). This perspective states that this seemingly destructive event was, in fact, foundational for the animal kingdom. Hypotheses for its origins are discussed, including a newly observed bias in EAA codon nucleotide composition that may help economise their use in proteins during scarcity. Tight restrictions on the inclusion of EAAs in protein sequences would be expected, but a minority of proteins with extreme EAA compositions are found. It is hypothesised that such proteins act as sentinels of EAA shortage in the diet, prompting beneficial responses from the organism. The control of hunger behaviours and reproductive timing are two processes in which EAA-rich proteins may be important. The leptin pathway of hunger behaviour regulation and reproductive development, traditionally associated with bodily lipid homeostasis, may be sensitive to EAA levels through this sequence-based mechanism. EAAs appear to have been a strong force in animal evolution. The biology emerging from their patterns of use in our proteins provides a direct link between nutritional state and specific biological processes - a coherent route to better dietary interventions in the future.

This case study details a three-day 'marking circle' activity where six academics, who co-author this case study, with varied lengths of experience collaboratively marked 25 undergraduate bioscience essays. Observations from this activity, discussed in a focus group, highlighted a significant tension: while the process was too time-consuming to be a sustainable method for routine marking, it was an extremely valuable and enjoyable professional development exercise. The activity revealed substantial inconsistencies between markers, with mark variations often exceeding 20%. In a focus group discussion between the markers, these discrepancies were attributed to several elements: procedural, structural, personal and experiential factors that led to different decisions between the markers when assigning numerical grades. This case study proposes a streamlined, two-stage model to harness the activity's developmental benefits in a more time-efficient manner: first, using a small group to pilot and refine a rubric, and second, using the refined rubric in a wider-scale professional development context.

The UK life sciences sector, valued at approximately £100 billion and employing nearly 300,000 individuals, is positioned for transformative growth under the government's ten-year Life Sciences Sector Plan. Despite significant investment in R&D, clinical trials and health data infrastructure, structural inequities persist within the science, technology, engineering and maths talent pipeline, limiting the participation and progression of individuals from marginalised and underrepresented groups. Historical and systemic biases have contributed to enduring underrepresentation in leadership, academia and industry, constraining innovation and weakening public trust in science. BioSci Toolkit CIC addresses these challenges through targeted mentorship, skills development and outreach initiatives that enhance confidence, competence and professional networks for underrepresented students and early-career scientists. By providing visibility, guidance and pathways into vocational and academic opportunities, the initiative seeks to strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion in UK bioscience, ensuring that the workforce better reflects societal demographics while fostering innovation and societal impact.

Electron cryotomography enables the direct visualisation of biological specimens without stains or fixation, revealing complex molecular landscapes at high resolution. However, identifying specific proteins within these crowded environments is challenging. Molecular tagging offers a promising solution by attaching visually distinctive markers to proteins of interest, differentiating them from the background. This review explores available tagging strategies, including gold nanoparticles, metal-binding proteins, nucleic acid nanostructures and protein-based tags. The identification and targeting strategies for each approach are discussed, highlighting their respective advantages and limitations. Future directions for advancing these tagging techniques to expand their applicability to broader research questions are also considered.