ABSTRACT Modern light microscopy methods, which have provided revolutionary improvements in our ability to visualize molecular mechanisms in human cells and tissues, are used routinely in academic, industrial, and healthcare laboratories. We developed a 6-week introductory course, aimed at students in the third or fourth year of undergraduate biomedical studies with no or minimal microscopy experience, to help them better understand and utilize these techniques. Through a combination of lecture-based learning and highly interactive hands-on workshops, students are first shown the principles that underlie a particular imaging-based assay and then given the opportunity to perform the assay themselves. In addition to standard assays such as multiwavelength imaging of fluorescent reporter molecules and protein colocalization analyses, lab modules have been designed to allow students to carry out high-end assays such as live and super-resolution imaging using conventional widefield fluorescence microscopes. A final active learning session addresses the analysis, interpretation, and presentation of imaging data. Students then use data they collected themselves to create figures suitable for publication in a research article. According to student feedback, this is appreciated as a highly interactive course that puts theory into practice right away, providing knowledge and skills that can be applied outside of the classroom.
ABSTRACT Mentoring is crucial to faculty development; however, not all instructors have access to supportive structures. The Promoting Active Learning and Mentoring (PALM) network facilitated one-on-one faculty mentoring within a structured learning community to encourage active learning. Prior work ( n = 7, only Fellows) created three personas that characterized the range of different Fellows and their motivations for joining the PALM network. Following recruitment from the entire PALM network ( n = 120), both Fellows and Mentors were interviewed ( n = 38) about their interest in joining PALM and their experience in this professional development network. After coding each transcript, we identified three personas: Neil the Novice (limited active learning exposure, lacks role models), Bryn the Budding Expert (experienced implementing active learning, seeking more nuanced approaches, and networking), and Elena the Expert (experienced implementing active learning, integrated into networks, and wants to mentor). Interestingly, features of the previously identified persona, Issa the Isolated (a sense of isolation and a need for external support and validation), were observed in conjunction with two of the three personas—Neil the Novice and Bryn the Budding Expert—but did not form a separate persona. Some individuals reported progression to new personas as a result of participating in PALM. Our findings highlight the importance of supportive networks in helping faculty become more confident instructors. This qualitative analysis of persona development can be used to inform mentoring and other professional development initiatives.
ABSTRACT Protein-based biologics are converging at an unprecedented pace as generative artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes early-stage drug discovery. Nanobodies, single-domain antibody fragments derived from camelid heavy chain-only immunoglobulins, are an emerging class of antiviral biologics prized for their small size, stability, and access to cryptic viral epitopes. Traditional nanobody discovery relies on animal immunization and phage display screening, a process that can take 6 to 12 months and is entirely inaccessible within a standard undergraduate laboratory session. Here, we describe a succinct, in silico -based laboratory activity that uses a generative AI protein design server, GeoFlow-V3 ( https://prot.design/ ), to allow undergraduate students to design a novel antiviral nanobody against the influenza A virus (IAV) hemagglutinin (HA) protein. This activity builds on our group’s prior use of generative AI for undergraduate siRNA design teaching and extends the same pedagogical model to structural protein engineering. To our knowledge, this is the first use of a generative AI protein design platform for teaching nanobody design at the undergraduate level.
ABSTRACT Bioinformatics blends the fields of biology, statistics, computer science, and information technology for the processing and analysis of genomic data. Despite the growing demand for trained bioinformaticians and a positive job market outlook, most undergraduate institutions struggle to integrate bioinformatics into their life science curricula. Educators face numerous barriers to incorporating bioinformatics into their classes, including technical issues and expertise. To address this need, we are developing web-accessible, course-based materials for general microbiology, infectious disease, genomics, and other similar undergraduate and graduate classes that use bioinformatic workflows within the Bacterial and Viral Bioinformatics Resource Center (BV-BRC), one of three National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)-funded Bioinformatics Resource Centers. Here, we present one such activity: a three-part exercise focused on antimicrobial resistance and metagenomics that uses six publicly available metagenomic samples collected from wild and domestic animal populations to explore the distinctions between their gut microbiomes and their respective antibiotic resistance genes. To analyze community composition and identify antibiotic resistance genes, students use two end-to-end services offered by the BV-BRC: Taxonomic Classification and Metagenomic Read Mapping. This assignment was developed to introduce students to core competencies in the field of bioinformatics and to highlight the BV-BRC as an educational resource for integrating bioinformatics without requiring students and instructors to possess the technical proficiencies and computing resources traditionally needed. We successfully implemented this exercise in an upper-level undergraduate microbiology course, demonstrating the feasibility of using the BV-BRC for bioinformatics education in the classroom.
ABSTRACT Options for flexible online learning are essential because they remove barriers to education and make learning accessible to a much wider range of people. A greater demand for flexible online instruction highlights a critical need for accessible, active-learning science curricula. Teaching complex, dynamic cellular processes like meiosis and non-disjunction is notoriously difficult in independent or asynchronous environments due to high student cognitive load and frequent misconceptions regarding these processes. To address this, a flexible, low-cost virtual laboratory was developed using tactile modeling embedded in a relatable, pop-culture zombie narrative. This study evaluated the pedagogical efficacy and student perceptions of this exercise across multiple undergraduate-level introductory biology laboratory sections ( n = 48 paired responses). Paired pre- and post-assessment data demonstrated a statistically significant increase in overall conceptual knowledge, with average student scores rising from 66.88% to 75.73%. Granular item analysis revealed that while rote vocabulary scores remained unchanged, students achieved significant learning gains in process-driven mechanics, phase identification, and mid-level cognitive skills within Bloom’s taxonomy. Qualitative survey data showed high student self-efficacy, with over half reporting the lab significantly aided their understanding, despite baseline affective ambivalence typical of independent active learning. Furthermore, multi-instructor deployment demonstrated that while designed for asynchronous delivery, this curriculum possesses the structural flexibility to adapt seamlessly to synchronous, hybrid, or in-person flipped classrooms, offering an equitable and adaptable framework for modern multimodal STEM education.
