The Education of Reform and Teaching Undergraduate Research in Biochemistry

2011 ◽  
Vol 268-270 ◽  
pp. 710-714 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yao Jiang Huang ◽  
Yi Jun Zhou ◽  
Jin Chao Feng ◽  
Da Yuan Xue ◽  
Yong Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Purification And Characterization ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Biochemical Laboratory ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Undergraduate Laboratory ◽  
Approach To Teaching

Undergraduate laboratory course is the disconnection between a series of 3-hour miniaturized experiments at Minzu University. Here, we describe a new approach to teaching undergrad­uate research, inquiry and problem solving in a semester-long biochemistry experience. The program centers on topics were selected to study purification and characterization of major classes of biomolecules (such as SOD) within a guided research experience. Undergraduates are allowed to work independently, they make many choices throughout the program. Skills, motivation, and attitudes were assessed before and after the program. This approach is cost effective, is productive, and supports diversity. Undergraduate s achieved high levels of critical biochemical laboratory skills and critical thinking while increasing their confidence and it is beneficial regardless of the next phase for the students.

scholarly journals A CURE for physiological characterization of bacterioplankton in liquid culture

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Celeste Lanclos ◽  
Jordan T. Coelho ◽  
Alex J. Hyer ◽  
Mindy M. Brooks ◽  
Emily R. Savoie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Ecological Distribution ◽  
Physiological Characterization ◽  
Carbon Substrates ◽  
Bacterial Characterization ◽  
Data Plotting ◽  
Environmental Functions

ABSTRACTBacterial characterization is an important aspect of microbiology that includes experimentally determining growth rates, environmental conditions conducive to growth, and the types of energy sources microorganisms can use. Researchers use this information to help understand and predict an organism’s ecological distribution and environmental functions. Microbiology students generally conduct bacterial characterization experiments in their coursework; however they are frequently restricted to model organisms without ecological relevance and for which the results have been known for decades. We present a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) curriculum to involve students in characterization of previously untested, ecologically relevant bacterioplankton cultures to identify the carbon substrates used for growth, as well as the temperature and salinity ranges conducive to growth. Students use these results to connect their organism’s physiology to the isolation environment. This curriculum also exposes students to advanced microbiology methods such as flow cytometry for measuring cell concentrations, teaches them to use the programming language R for data plotting, and emphasizes scientific communication through writing, speaking, poster creation/presentation, and social media. This CURE is an attractive introduction to scientific research and was successfully tested with 147 students during the fall semester of 2018.

A cost-effective method for purification and characterization of human urinary albumin

2019 ◽  
Vol 1114-1115 ◽  
pp. 31-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shamkant B. Badgujar ◽  
Bhupesh C. Mali ◽  
Babasaheb Tandale ◽  
Siddharth B. Daftary ◽  
Sanjeev Lala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Urinary Albumin ◽  
Purification And Characterization ◽  
Cost Effective Method

scholarly journals Introducing electrical engineering through characterization of a handheld moisture meter: A research experience case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd J Freeborn ◽  
Jada Damond
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Students ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Electrical Engineering ◽  
Test Equipment ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Experiences ◽  
Moisture Meter ◽  
The University

Concepts from electrical engineering can be introduced to nonmajor engineering students through lectures, laboratories, or even research experiences. Often the purpose of introducing nonmajors to these concepts is to highlight that engineering problems are not limited to skills from only a single discipline as well as improve their ability to communicate and collaborate with other disciplines. This case study discusses the experience of introducing a nonmajor undergraduate student to electrical engineering through an undergraduate research project at The University of Alabama investigating the electrical properties of bamboo, which required the characterization of a portable moisture meter. These exercises were successful at improving the student’s confidence and proficiency with electrical test equipment, highlighting the limitations of test equipment, and applying concepts of resistance to a real-world application that overlaps electrical, chemical, and biological disciplines. While this exercise was a component of an undergraduate research experience, similar exercises could be easily integrated into electrical engineering laboratories for nonelectrical engineering majors to introduce and reinforce concepts from electrical engineering using a multidisciplinary application.

scholarly journals A High-Enrollment Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience Improves Student Conceptions of Scientific Thinking and Ability to Interpret Data

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. ar21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara E. Brownell ◽  
Daria S. Hekmat-Scafe ◽  
Veena Singla ◽  
Patricia Chandler Seawell ◽  
Jamie F. Conklin Imam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Suppressor Gene ◽  
Scientific Thinking ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Student Conceptions ◽  
Biology Students

We present an innovative course-based undergraduate research experience curriculum focused on the characterization of single point mutations in p53, a tumor suppressor gene that is mutated in more than 50% of human cancers. This course is required of all introductory biology students, so all biology majors engage in a research project as part of their training. Using a set of open-ended written prompts, we found that the course shifts student conceptions of what it means to think like a scientist from novice to more expert-like. Students at the end of the course identified experimental repetition, data analysis, and collaboration as important elements of thinking like a scientist. Course exams revealed that students showed gains in their ability to analyze and interpret data. These data indicate that this course-embedded research experience has a positive impact on the development of students’ conceptions and practice of scientific thinking.

What Constitutes Successful Undergraduate Research?

2004 ◽  
Vol 827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Inglefield ◽  
Adam Johnston
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Science Curriculum ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Student Ownership ◽  
Undergraduate Research Program ◽  
Successful Program ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Undergraduate Science ◽  
Holistic Research

AbstractResearch has become a point of much greater emphasis in the undergraduate science curriculum within the past few generations of undergraduate students. However, there is not universal agreement upon what constitutes a successful undergraduate research program, and how degrees of success should be measured. A model for a successful program based principally on student ownership of research projects will be presented here. This approach is an attempt to give undergraduate students the most holistic research experience possible, by involving them in all stages of a research project in a limited amount of time. A central goal for each student is a definable product of their particular project, which is disseminated to as wide an external audience as possible. Measures of success, from student perspectives, will be discussed. These measures include data from interviews of students before and after their research experience.

scholarly journals Cloning, Expression and Characterization of the α-glucuronidase from the Hyperthermophile DictyoglomusturgidumDSM 6724Ô

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 34-47
Author(s):  
Phillip Brumm ◽  
Phillip Brumm ◽  
Dan Xie ◽  
Larry Allen ◽  
Dan Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Enzymatic Activity ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Thermostable Enzyme ◽  
Fermentable Sugars ◽  
Intracellular Protein ◽  
Purification And Characterization

Conversion of biomass into fermentable sugars is a major requirement for successful and cost-effective biofuels production. The conversion of xylan to sugars requires multiple enzymes including α-glucuronidase. Here we report the cloning, expression, purification and characterization of the α-glucuronidase from Dictyoglomusturgidum(DtuAgu). DtuAgu is an intracellular protein of 685 amino acids and a predicted molecular weight of 79.4 kD. Enzymatic activity was optimum between pH 7.0 and 8.0 and at 85°C. The specific activity of the enzyme was 10 u/mg when measured using mixed aldouronic acids. The specific activity on isolated glucuronoxylan was approximately 20% of the value obtained with xylooligosaccharides. DtuAgu significantly improved xylan conversion to xylose when evaluated using two mixtures of thermostable bacterial enzymes and two sources of xylan. DtuAgu has the potential to be a key player in thermostable enzyme cocktails for the conversion to biomass to biofuels.α

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