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.
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.
Field trips are widely recognised for their pedagogical value in natural sciences, yet their role in Biosciences and Chemistry undergraduate education remains underexplored. This case study investigates the perceived impact of field trips on students’ subject knowledge, employability skills and sense of community within the School of Biosciences and Chemistry at Sheffield Hallam University. Using questionnaire data from students and academic staff across five undergraduate programmes, the study reveals that field trips are highly valued for linking theory to practice, strengthening practical and employability skills, and fostering peer relationships. Biology students expressed the strongest desire for field trips, while Biochemistry students showed the least interest. Academic staff, and the majority of undergraduates, supported field trip inclusion across all courses. Thematic analysis of questionnaire open-text responses identified key benefits, including deepened subject knowledge, career insights and increased course belonging. However, barriers to participation – primarily financial constraints, health concerns and work commitments – were reported by both students and staff. Recommendations to improve accessibility included offering free or low-cost trips, scheduling within teaching hours and early communication. The findings underscore the importance of inclusive, well-structured field trip opportunities to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This research informs the development of a cost-effective and accessible field trip programme across Biosciences and Chemistry courses, aligning with institutional goals and student needs.
The proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools has fundamentally challenged traditional written assessments across higher education, with particular implications for laboratory-based disciplines where written work may substitute for demonstration of practical competence, necessitating approaches that prioritise direct performance. This study presents the adaptation of objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) methodology from medical education to laboratory biosciences, demonstrating a practical framework for authentic assessment in the AI era. We describe and evaluate the transformation of a microscopy assessment in FHEQ Level 4 Biomedical Sciences from a traditional laboratory report to a 20-minute OSCE-style practical evaluation. The redesigned assessment maintained grade distributions while eliminating AI vulnerability through real-time performance demonstration and conversational examination. The implementation achieved close alignment between learning outcomes and assessment methods while providing inherent resistance to generative AI exploitation through direct performance requirements. Equity implications are complex and context-dependent, with potential barriers for students with communication differences alongside potential benefits for others, such as those with written communication difficulties, emphasising the importance of balanced assessment portfolios and appropriate reasonable adjustments. The cross-disciplinary adaptation demonstrates that OSCE methodology offers a scalable solution to AI-era assessment challenges, with performance-focused design maintaining academic integrity more effectively than restrictive policies while enhancing authenticity and equity outcomes.
The degree awarding gap (DAG), disparities in degree outcomes across student demographics, remains a persistent challenge in UK higher education. At Sheffield Hallam University (SHU), the School of Biosciences and Chemistry has implemented a series of inclusive initiatives to address this issue across the student journey.Drawing on culturally responsive pedagogies, the work targets belonging, representation and the hidden curriculum through outreach, peer-led networks, visible role models, inclusive seminars and embedded equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). Mini case studies highlight collaborative efforts to diversify curricula, co-create assessment rubrics, support identity-affirming student groups and integrate EDI into school operations.These initiatives have enhanced student engagement, staff confidence and the visibility of underrepresented voices. This article calls for sustained, school/institution-wide commitment to equity, recognising that closing the DAG requires long-term structural change, shared responsibility and a culture where all students feel they belong and can succeed.
Practical work is expensive, complicated to organise and often exclusionary. However, practicals are commonly considered a core component of research-based bioscience education. This is difficult to justify when the majority of bioscience students will not go into bioscience research. We therefore need to have a robust rationale for including practical work in bioscience curricula, and to maximise the value of all practicals for all students whether in the laboratory, field or computational space. In this opinion article, we propose a competence-based education model for bioscience practical work, seeing competence as the ability to integrate skills, knowledge, attitudes and connections between practical learning and the wider world. We argue that using a competence model allows us to focus on the true value of practical work, and therefore to design more inclusive and authentic learning experiences. We encourage bioscience educators to rigorously question the purpose of practicals in their programmes, and whether they can maximise their educational value through more deliberate competence-driven curriculum design.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Student use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology in university is as ubiquitous as it is controversial, and students and staff need guidance on how to use it effectively, responsibly, ethically and critically. In this case study, we present the conception, design and evaluation of a pilot 'AI for Academic Writing Skills' induction session designed for postgraduate taught (PGT) students in Medical Sciences. The induction session was designed by an institution-wide collaboration between Master of Science (MSc) programme directors, senior learning technologists and senior business technologists in AI competency to provide approximately 100 PGT students with structured, practical training on ethical GenAI use in academic writing. To ensure equitable access for all students in the pilot, this initiative integrated ChatGPT4 via a paid application programming interface into the institution's virtual learning environment, Canvas, ensuring all the students had access to the latest version of the chatbot. Evaluation of the 'AI for Academic Writing Skills' induction session demonstrated that 100% of survey respondents rated the training positively, 86% found the academic writing lecture beneficial, and 100% found the lecture on general GenAI skills helpful. Furthermore, 82% appreciated interacting with the chatbot in group work, and 70% reported significantly reduced uncertainty about using GenAI in their academic work. This case study details our approach, which first surveyed students to assess current levels of engagement and confidence with GenAI tools. Based on these findings, we developed a scalable, evidence-based induction session on the ethical use of GenAI in academic writing. This report describes the process of creating this training, its impact on student confidence, and our reflections on how we will continue to refine the programme in future academic years.
Many students struggle with the mechanical process of academic referencing when they transition into higher education. Previous research has typically utilised questionnaires and/or interviews to gain retrospective insight into students' cognitions while referencing. The think-aloud method, which asks participants to verbalise their thoughts while performing a task, was utilised while 30 undergraduate participants completed a referencing exercise, followed by semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of transcripts identified that students could articulate why referencing was important, although they struggled with the mechanical process of referencing, often experiencing nervousness and a dislike of referencing. As a generation of information consumers, participants held little regard for the nuance of academic referencing, instead placing importance on finding sources via search engines using minimal information such as first author and article title. The referencing exercise used in this study received positive feedback and could be incorporated into taught sessions to better support students' development of this core academic skill.
The onset of the Fourth Industrial Revolution has catalysed a fundamental shift in how research within the molecular life sciences is approached and undertaken. Over the past decade, a multitude of nascent enabling technologies have progressed to maturity and have become irreversibly embedded in laboratory practice. Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a mainstay within the molecular sciences, facilitating major advances across a multitude of sub-disciplines, including synthetic biology, industrial biotechnology and drug discovery. One area where this impact is being particularly felt is within multi-omics, where the marriage of AI with low-cost high-throughput sequencing is delivering unprecedented advances, allowing large and often complex datasets to be deconvoluted on timescales previously considered unimaginable. In this mini-review, we outline how the integration of AI into multi-omics has been realised and forecast future trajectories for research in this important area.
Insect farming is widely extolled as a sustainable alternative to the traditional agricultural production of protein for human and animal consumption. However, pathogen contamination endangers insect health, food safety, production yields and market acceptance. Because insect farming is intensive, growth and transmission of pathogens are promoted, elevating the risk of disease outbreaks with severe economic outcomes. Fungal pathogens can invade host insects through their cuticle, reproducing within the nutrientrich haemolymph within the haemocoel until the host's defences are overwhelmed and the insect dies. Other pathogens, such as viruses, oomycetes and bacteria, enter the host orally before penetrating the midgut wall to infect the haemolymph. Even apparently healthy farmed insects carry a diverse array of potentially pathogenic bacteria/fungi within their guts, as well as sub-lethal viral infections, and these covert infections can quickly become epizootic breakouts. Consequently, there is an urgent need to understand the infection and transmission of pathogens in insect farms, as well as to develop strategies to prevent and treat infections/outbreaks. This review collates information about the susceptibility of farmed insects to infection by fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes and other parasites, current pathogen detection methods, and possible control measures, with the aim of making this information accessible to practitioners and researchers of insect farming. We suggest that prophylactics/treatments are urgently needed by insect farms, alongside improvements in infection control, to ensure the long-term viability and acceptance of edible insects as a sustainable alternative protein source.
Water stress represents a critical global challenge demanding innovative solutions for effective water resource management. Microbial electrochemical technologies (METs) leverage bacterial extracellular electron transfer for addressing issues related to water stress. These technologies exhibit a diverse range of applications, positioning them as integral to sustainable development through effective water resource management. Their versatility allows them to function as key contributors to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). Through their application, METs offer promising strategies for mitigating pollution, recovering valuable resources, and enabling real-time water quality monitoring. Employing these technologies facilitates the concurrent addressing of various UNSDGs, fostering a holistic and integrated approach. METs present opportunities for decentralized wastewater treatment and reuse, thereby promoting accessibility to clean water and sanitation, particularly in marginalized communities. However, the realization of these benefits faces significant challenges, including technological scalability, optimization, and regulatory frameworks. Overcoming these obstacles is crucial for harnessing the full potential of METs to meet UNSDGs. This perspective article underscores the imperative of further research, collaboration, and policy support to propel METs towards becoming a cornerstone in the sustainable management of water resources and the achievement of UNSDGs on a global scale.
Specific RNAs and proteins function together to impart function within cells. This ranges from binary interactions through to large macromolecular machines such as the ribosome. The emergence of the epitranscriptome over the past 20 years provides an excellent example of this relationship. The epitranscriptome is written on RNA molecules by protein-based enzymes, with these modifications required to diversify RNA function. The need for these functions in turn necessitates tight proximity between specific RNA transcripts and proteins. Here we describe an unwanted by-product of RNA:protein proximity – RNA:protein cross-links (RPCs). We describe how covalent bonds between RNAs and proteins form through one of two mechanisms. Throughout, we provide examples detailing clinical compounds that induce RPCs. The first mechanism of cross-linking is purely proximity-defined, occurring because of reactive third-party agents joining adjacent biomolecules. We discuss endogenous and exogenous agents that impart this activity and how the chemotherapeutic agent oxaliplatin induces cross-links by the same mechanism. The second class of RPCs forms between RNAs and specific RNA-modifying enzymes. These enzymes form transient covalent intermediates as part of their mechanisms of action, which we suggest can endure under certain conditions. We summarise evidence that the cancer drug 5-fluorouracil induces RPCs following its incorporation into RNA. Enzyme trapping occurs for specific modifier enzymes that target the non-canonical structure of the drug. Finally, we summarise recent work showing that cells contain specific molecular mechanisms to detect and resolve RPCs, placing this in the context of clinical cross-link induction.
Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have the potential to revolutionise traditional drug discovery and development. The applications of AI in four prominent areas of drug discovery-drug design, quantum computing, precision medicine and biomarker discovery-are all covered in this issue of Emerging Topics in Life Sciences and summarised in this editorial.
