Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education最新文献

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) have beneficial impacts on students and the capacity to provide authentic research experiences that are accessible and beneficial to all students, especially those from Minoritized Groups. CUREs can be presented in a full semester format (cCURE) and shorter modules incorporated into laboratory courses (mCURE). In this study, protein-centric CUREs were implemented at two minority-serving Community Colleges (CCs) in introductory biology and chemistry courses. Using validated assessment tools, student self-reported gains, and institutional data, we examined student outcomes in three conditions: control, mCURE, and cCURE courses. We also examined whether there was a differential impact on student outcomes by Minoritized Group status. Our findings show that students from Minoritized Groups have improved scientific literacy compared to their White/Asian peers in the cCUREs, whereas students from Minoritized Groups in the control course had lower relative scientific literacy. There was no significant difference in STEM Career Interest between the three conditions. Most significantly, the one-year retention rate of students from the mCURE condition was 24% higher than that seen among control students. Furthermore, retention of students from Minoritized Groups in mCUREs was significantly higher than in control courses, whereas no significant difference was observed in White/Asian students. Taken together, these data suggest that CUREs can be an impactful practice in introductory courses at CCs, especially for students from Minoritized Groups.

Targeted metagenomics is a rapidly expanding technology to analyze complex biological samples and genetic monitoring of environmental samples. In this research field, data analytical aspects play a crucial role. In order to teach targeted metagenomics data analysis, we developed a 4-week inquiry-driven modular course-based undergraduate research experience (mCURE) using publicly available Australian coral microbiome DNA sequencing data and associated metadata. Since an enormous amount of metadata was provided alongside the DNA sequencing data, groups of students were able to develop their own authentic research questions. Throughout the course, the student groups worked on these research questions and were supported with bioinformatics and statistics lessons. Additionally, practical aspects of data collection and analysis were addressed during hands-on field work on a nearby Dutch beach. Evaluation of the course indicated that the majority of students (1) achieved the intended metagenomics-based learning outcomes and (2) experienced scientific discovery while working on their research projects. In conclusion, the huge amount of data and metadata available in the coral microbiome data set facilitated the development of a strongly inquiry-driven course. Different groups of students were able to develop and conduct their own distinct microbiome research projects and our current mCURE format positively affected students' metagenomics data analytical skills and scientific discovery perception.

We created a novel laboratory experience where undergraduate students explore the techniques used to study protein misfolding, unfolding, and aggregation. Despite the importance of protein misfolding and aggregation diseases, protein unfolding is not typically explored in undergraduate biochemistry laboratory classes. Yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH) is used in the undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course at Miami University as the model system to explore protein overexpression and purification, bioinformatics, and enzyme characterization. Using one model protein across the entire semester allows the students to independently link topics introduced in the individual experiments; for example, students might draw connections between the thermal denaturation experiment and the requirement to keep the enzyme cold during a kinetics experiment. Students quantitated changes in secondary structure resulting from thermal denaturation by analyzing circular dichroism data. Monitoring the turbidity of a YADH solution with a temperature-controlled UV–Vis spectrometer was a reliable and easy method for undergraduate students to observe the thermally-induced aggregation of YADH. Together these experiments provide undergraduate students with first-hand experience in techniques to study protein unfolding and aggregation.

Curated undergraduate research experiences have been widely used at colleges and universities for decades to build student interest, technical preparation, and confidence in the pursuit of scientific careers. Educators often employ standardized survey instruments to evaluate learning outcomes for research experiences, but many of these assessments consider only technical skill development and career interests and are not rooted in discrete pedagogical theories. As higher education aims to create inclusive and equitable learning experiences for students, we argue that pedagogical assessment tools for undergraduate research experiences need to expand to consider outcomes such as increased science literacy, confidence in relational “soft” skills, and a sense of belonging to a community that values scientific inquiry. We report on and critique a survey instrument that uses validated metrics to evaluate student sense of belonging and the relational skills developed during an undergraduate research experience. We also provide a revised survey instrument that is founded in social and emotional learning principles and expectation disconfirmation theory. We describe best practices for remodeling the undergraduate research environment to prioritize these inclusive learning objectives alongside publishable research output that is sought by research advisors. Survey tools, like the one described here, are critical for helping colleges and universities train students in science while evolving to promote inclusivity, self-efficacy, and sense of belonging. Higher education programs will continue to produce scientists, but a focus on confidence-building and soft-skill development is essential for creating a general population that is scientifically literate and supportive and trusting of the scientific process.

The impact of Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically shifted the education landscape between recent college and university graduates and pathways to graduate degrees. In my perspective article, I wish to share the challenges, reflections, and a call-to-action framework in ways we can support and advocate for postbaccalaureate persons excluded because of their ethnicity of race, or from a structurally marginalized community or PEERS through the lens of mindfulness, humility, reflection, and deep listening. Through cross-institutional community network support, culturally responsive mentoring of postbaccalaureate PEERS is one of the key dimensions in empowering communities toward health, environmental, and social justice.

The knowledge of “clinical molecular biology testing technology” is complex, conceptual expressions are abstract and difficult to understand, and the student's interest in learning is low. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a cyclic teaching method based on case analysis combined with an exploratory teaching method using mind mapping as an assignment. Students from the 2019 cohort of medical laboratory technology at Hunan University of Chinese Medicine served as the control group and received conventional lecture-based teaching methods. Students from the 2021 cohort served as the test group and were undergoing teaching methods that focused on developing critical thinking skills. Course regular grades, exam scores, teaching evaluations, and questionnaires were used to evaluate the teaching effect. The test group had higher scores than the control group. It is also better in terms of memorization ability and comprehensive analytical ability. However, there were no differences between the two groups in terms of understanding and application ability. The test group showed higher satisfaction in improving knowledge mastery, cultivating learning interest, enhancing logical thinking ability, and utilizing post-class assignments in the form of mind mapping for better knowledge consolidation and expansion than did the control group. The survey results from the test group indicate that a teaching method focused on developing thinking skills has significant effects on stimulating learning interest, improving cognitive ability, and helping to address clinical issues. Combining the cyclic teaching method based on case analysis with the exploratory teaching method using mind mapping as assignments can enhance learning motivation, facilitate knowledge acquisition, and is suitable for teaching in the discipline of “clinical molecular biology testing technology”.

Commonly used traditional didactic lecture in biochemistry being non-interactive has several disadvantages which students find boring and difficult to retain. This study reviews the potential of role play to teach biochemistry effectively. Studies published till June 2024 on the topic role play in medical education and biochemistry were searched using ‘Ovid Discovery’ software showing studies available in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases. Studies having matched keywords like ‘role play, roleplay, role-play, education, medical, biochemistry and genetics’ appearing in title or text article were included while studies that were irrelevant, in non-English language or duplicated studies were excluded. Literature search revealed 8 studies for reviewing the topic. Studies that have tested effectiveness of role play in biochemistry have shown that it can bridge the gap between theory and practice. Role play is dramatization of a theme simulating real-life scenarios evoking learner's critical thinking process, activation of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. It creates lasting memory in retaining topics besides motivating student for self-directed learning. It also develops confidence, communication, and language skills among students. Role play can be a powerful tool to teach biochemistry for integrating knowledge of biochemistry with clinical concepts. The authors recommend that biochemistry lectures and practical sessions should be reinforced through role plays especially for topics having clinical relevance. The author proposes several applications of role play in biochemistry to demonstrate metabolic pathways, experimental skills, metabolic disorders, accidental emergencies in lab, do's and don'ts in labs, pre analytical errors affecting biochemistry lab results.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected a large range of in-person education activities in Colombia. This created great limitations in academic performance for students with reduced access to communication technologies and deepened the educational gaps in the country. This was particularly true for sciences such as biochemistry. In Colombia, molecular structure is a subject traditionally taught through 2D drawings and static diagrams because software and 3D artifacts are not available to all students. Thus, it is essential to develop and apply strategies to study molecular structure; especially tools that are accessible and can be easily built and used at home in rural areas of the country. Here, we propose the use of origami as a tool to teach molecular structure to second year college students in Colombia. We describe the development and the implementation of the tool adjusted to students' needs regarding their visual, tactile, and other experiential learning. We included serious game elements during the implementation to engage participation and teamwork. Students' perception about the use and utility of origami to study molecular structure was favorable, highlighting its simplicity and powerfulness to help them grasp key concepts in chemistry. This motivates us to propose this idea to explore and continue improving the strategy in the classroom.