ABSTRACT
An integrated and projected-based laboratory course was described, integrating interconnected knowledge points and biochemistry and molecular biology techniques on a research project-based system. The program, which served as an essential extension of theoretical courses to practice, was conducted with a sophomore of basic medical science who had completed the course in medical biochemistry and molecular biology. This course engaged students in learning "genetic manipulation" and "recombinant DNA technology" to understand the target gene's role in disease mechanics, thus altering evaluation and treatment for clinical disease. Students could master applied and advanced techniques, such as cell culture, transfection, inducing exogenous fusion protein expression, purifying protein and its concentration assay, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and western bot analysis. This laboratory exercise links laboratory practices with the methods of current basic research. Students need to complete the experimental design report and laboratory report, which could be advantageous for improving their ability to write lab summaries and scientific papers in the future. The reliability and validity analyses were conducted on the questionnaire, and we examined students' satisfaction with the course and their gains from the course. The student feedback was generally positive, indicating that the exercise helped consolidate theoretical knowledge, increase scientific research enthusiasm, and provide a powerful tool to be a better person and make informed decisions.
Subject(s)
Biochemistry , Laboratories , Molecular Biology , Molecular Biology/education , Biochemistry/education , Humans , Curriculum , Students , Surveys and Questionnaires , Educational MeasurementABSTRACT
The development of information technology and portable devices has sparked a revolution in the field of education, facilitating access to diverse educational resources and lifelong learning. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the transition from face-to-face to distance teaching, which requires online education to be provided worldwide. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology are key basic medical courses in laboratory-based science that cover complicated theories and applications. The balance between traditional and online courses, and the effectiveness of online courses, are fundamental to the teaching quality of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. In this study, we explored the concepts, designs, and practices of a new blended online course and identified potential challenges. We hope that our experiences will provide new ideas for online teaching and promote teaching reform and the development of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology education.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the application effect of the blended teaching model of "pre-class synchronous small private online course (SPOC)+ flipped classroom+post-class knowledge expansion" in the theoretical teaching of biochemistry and molecular biology. Methods:A total of 951 students majoring in clinical medicine, preventive medicine, and pharmacy in the class of 2020 in Qiqihar Medical College were selected as teaching reform research group (experimental group), and their curriculum relied on the self-built massive open online course (MOOC) curriculum and the MOOC resources of Chinese universities to construct a blended teaching model; the reform methods such as small class grouping, case-based learning, and diversified examination were adopted to carry out theoretical flipped teaching activities with cross integration of cases and knowledge points as the main line. A total of 847 students majoring in clinical medicine, preventive medicine, and pharmacy in the class of 2019 were selected as control group, and the traditional teaching method was used for theoretical courses. The courses were evaluated by offline assessment and online assessment, and feedback information was collected through examination scores, questionnaire survey, and online voting. SPSS 20.0 was used for statistical analysis, and the t-test was used for comparison between groups. Results:The experimental group had a significantly higher total score of final examination than the control group [(92.12±3.88) vs. (86.73±5.27), P<0.05]. The questionnaire survey showed that the students in the experimental group showed a relatively high degree of satisfaction with the blended teaching reform, which increased their participation, experiencing, and sharing activities. The students majoring in clinical medicine in the class of 2020 believed that they had established clinical thinking ability (263, 92.61%) and become familiar with the clinical manifestations and pathogenesis of common diseases (262, 92.25%); the students majoring in preventive medicine in the class of 2020 believed that they had increased their awareness of serving the public (151, 93.21%) and developed the ability to teach and guide healthy living (148, 91.36%); the students majoring in pharmacy in the class of 2020 believed that they had mastered the mechanism of action of drugs for disease treatment (138, 93.24%) and understood the importance of rational drug use in clinical practice (135, 91.22%). Conclusion:The blended teaching model realizes student-centered teaching, stimulates the interest and initiative in learning, and improves learning outcome, thereby improving teaching quality to a certain extent.
ABSTRACT
Biochemistry is a data-heavy discipline, yet teaching students to work with large datasets is absent from many undergraduate Biochemistry programs. Ensuring that future generations of students arevbv confident in tackling problems using big data first requires that educators become comfortable teaching big data skills. The activity described herein introduces educators to working with big data and a framework for generating sequence similarity networks using JupyterLab and Python. This article reports a session from the virtual international 2021 IUBMB/ASBMB workshop, "Teaching Science with Big Data."
Subject(s)
Big Data , Biochemistry , Biochemistry/education , Biological Evolution , Humans , Students , TeachingABSTRACT
Under the background of comprehensively advancing the construction of " curriculum ideological and political" in colleges and universities, various colleges and universities have carried out ideological and political construction in professional courses in order to implement the fundamental task of moral education. This article takes the course " Biochemistry and Molecular Biology" of Chengdu Medical College as an example, deeply excavates the ideological and political elements contained in the course, and finally identified seven typical ideological and political elements and carried out corresponding curriculum design, and applies the case teaching method to practice them in teaching. Questionnaires were issued to 888 students of six majors (clinical medicine, anesthesiology, pediatrics, medical imaging, pharmacy, and Chinese pharmacy) to test the implementation effect. The results showed that case-based ideological and political teaching can better enhance Students′ recognition of this course and help students form good ideological values, and initially achieve the purpose of ideological and political teaching of professional courses. Finally, this article makes active exploration and practice from the construction and implementation of curriculum ideology and politics, as well as the optimization and improvement of curriculum ideology and politics, in order to provide references for the comprehensive implementation of “curriculum ideology and politics” in professional courses.
ABSTRACT
WeChat official accounts (WOA) are widely used for education by organizations and teachers in the era of educational informatization 2. 0. As a new platform, WOA provides free, interactive, attractive, adaptable, portable, sustainable, and more participatory teaching styles. The course of biochemistry and molecular biology (BMB) is inherently complicated, abstruse, and fast-growing in scientific and technical innovation, which made it hard for both teaching and learning. Using WOA, teachers can simplify and sparkle complicated BMB contents in multitudinous styles, including graphic text, animation, videos, dialogues, and files via third-party Apps. WOA is also adaptable for mobile teaching due to its compatibility for micro-lecture learning, online exam, and experiments learning, etc. Almost 50 WOA have been created for BMB teaching from 2015, which made the WOA based teaching a popular mode in China. This review introduced the content and featured resources of the ten popular BMB WOA, including “I love BIOCHEM”, “NCUbiochem”, and “Cartoon biochemistry”, etc., by which described the diverse teaching and services mode via WOA platform. Furthermore, the authors summarized their experiences in setting up and managing WOA like original creation and directory management, and suggested a student-centered and entire process learning principle to achieve better improvement in teaching. Our present study aims to accelerate the communication and resources sharing for BMB education in China, promote the revolution of philosophy and methods in teaching, and finally improve the quality of education.
ABSTRACT
Ensuring currency with trends, knowledge, and understanding of teaching and learning is essential for all educators. Researching learning and teaching is an enormous field which can range from examining the practical impact of new classes to research into the processes of learning. The "Publishing in Education" conference session discussed some of the approaches and outcomes of researching and publishing in education.
Subject(s)
Interdisciplinary Studies , Molecular Biology/education , Publishing , Congresses as Topic , HumansABSTRACT
Science requires that we are always current with research, techniques, and tools but what are the best approaches for continuing education? The presenters in this session described a range of approaches used in universities, government bodies, and industry.
Subject(s)
Education, Continuing , Interdisciplinary Studies , Molecular Biology/education , Congresses as Topic , HumansABSTRACT
Although science education, including biochemistry and molecular biology education, starts before students commence university, for many students, undergraduate programs are their first real introduction to biochemistry and molecular biology. Students often report that biochemistry and molecular biology are relatively difficult topics hence the use of varied and well-thought-out approaches are critical to fully engage students. This session provided insights into undergraduate curriculum design.
Subject(s)
Curriculum , Interdisciplinary Studies , Molecular Biology/education , Problem-Based Learning , Universities , Congresses as Topic , HumansABSTRACT
Laboratory classes are a central element of all biochemistry and molecular biology programs. These play a role in developing students' hands-on and technical skills and also offer much more. The design of laboratory classes depends on many factors including the programs the students are enrolled in, the level they are at, employment destinations, and learning outcomes. This conference session considered the design and outcomes of laboratory experiences for undergraduate students.
Subject(s)
Biochemistry/education , Interdisciplinary Studies , Congresses as Topic , Humans , LaboratoriesABSTRACT
The conference session on Postgraduate Education in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology consisted of wide-ranging presentations and discussions. Approaches, issues, and solutions for postgraduate education and training in countries ranging from the Philippines to Mongolia and the United States were covered.
Subject(s)
Education, Graduate , Interdisciplinary Studies , Molecular Biology/education , Congresses as Topic , HumansABSTRACT
Approaches to learning and teaching have been undergoing massive changes. Technology has enabled many innovations while other methods have embedded authentic research approaches or looked to other disciplines. The tools in education session of the conference looked at tools being used to teach biochemistry and molecular biology ranging from online platforms, authentic research experiences to the use of music.
Subject(s)
Interdisciplinary Studies , Learning , Molecular Biology/education , Teaching , Congresses as Topic , HumansABSTRACT
In many health-related programs biochemistry and molecular biology are core subjects, but these subjects are often not the students main focus. This challenges educators to develop curriculum that demonstrates the relevance of biochemistry and molecular biology and engages these students. This conference session discussed the value of biochemistry and molecular biology education in the health sciences and the methodologies which can be implemented.
Subject(s)
Curriculum , Interdisciplinary Studies , Molecular Biology/education , Congresses as Topic , HumansABSTRACT
Biochemistry and molecular biology education starts before our students get to university. From a very early age, they start learning informally about science beginning with the basics of science and as they progress through their school years they should be exposed to more advanced topics such as biochemistry and molecular biology. This session at the conference focused on three very different examples of engaging school students with biochemistry and molecular biology.
Subject(s)
Interdisciplinary Studies , Molecular Biology/education , Problem-Based Learning , Schools , Congresses as Topic , HumansABSTRACT
The "Harnessing Interdisciplinary Education in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology" education conference was held on November 13-15, 2019 in Manila, Philippines. The conference was sponsored by the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular (IUBMB). With over 400 attendees from 22 countries themes discussed by the speakers and enthusiastic participants ranged from teaching biochemistry and molecular biology at all levels and to students in a range of disciplines.
Subject(s)
Interdisciplinary Studies , Molecular Biology/education , Congresses as Topic , HumansABSTRACT
Remarks from the keynote presentation 2019 IUBMB Education Conference, held in conjunction with the 46th Annual Convention of the Philippine Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. William G. Padolina, 13 November 2019.
Subject(s)
Interdisciplinary Studies , Molecular Biology/education , Congresses as Topic , Humans , PhilippinesABSTRACT
Cripto is a small glycosylphosphatidylinisitol (GPI)-anchored and secreted oncofetal protein that plays important roles in regulating normal physiological processes, including stem cell differentiation, embryonal development, and tissue growth and remodeling, as well as pathological processes such as tumor initiation and progression. Cripto functions as a co-receptor for TGF-ß ligands such as Nodal, GDF1, and GDF3. Soluble and secreted forms of Cripto also exhibit growth factor-like activity and activate SRC/MAPK/PI3K/AKT pathways. Glucose-Regulated Protein 78 kDa (GRP78) binds Cripto at the cell surface and has been shown to be required for Cripto signaling via both TGF-ß and SRC/MAPK/PI3K/AKT pathways. To provide a comprehensive overview of the scientific literature related to Cripto, we performed, for the first time, a bibliometric analysis of the biological roles of Cripto as reported in the scientific literature covering the last 10 years. We present different fields of knowledge in comprehensive areas of research on Cripto, ranging from basic to translational research, using a keyword-driven approach. Our ultimate aim is to aid the scientific community in conducting targeted research by identifying areas where research has been conducted so far and, perhaps more importantly, where critical knowledge is still missing.
ABSTRACT
The National Science Foundation estimates that 80% of the jobs available during the next decade will require math and science skills, dictating that programs in biochemistry and molecular biology must be transformative and use new pedagogical approaches and experiential learning for careers in industry, research, education, engineering, health-care professions, and other interdisciplinary fields. These efforts require an environment that values the individual student and integrates recent advances from the primary literature in the discipline, experimentally directed research, data collection and analysis, and scientific writing. Current trends shaping these efforts must include critical thinking, experimental testing, computational modeling, and inferential logic. In essence, modern biochemistry and molecular biology education must be informed by, and integrated with, cutting-edge research. This environment relies on sustained research support, commitment to providing the requisite mentoring, access to instrumentation, and state-of-the-art facilities. The academic environment must establish a culture of excellence and faculty engagement, leading to innovation in the classroom and laboratory. These efforts must not lose sight of the importance of multidimensional programs that enrich science literacy in all facets of the population, students and teachers in K-12 schools, nonbiochemistry and molecular biology students, and other stakeholders. As biochemistry and molecular biology educators, we have an obligation to provide students with the skills that allow them to be innovative and self-reliant. The next generation of biochemistry and molecular biology students must be taught proficiencies in scientific and technological literacy, the importance of the scientific discourse, and skills required for problem solvers of the 21st century.
Subject(s)
Biochemistry/education , Biomedical Research/education , Molecular Biology/education , Problem-Based Learning , HumansABSTRACT
For over 40 years of working in the area of biochemistry and molecular biology, 30 of which have been spent teaching at the University of Malaga, I have been involved in the theoretical and practical teaching of the subject initially called biochemistry and now called biochemistry and molecular biology (BMB). The expansion of this scientific discipline and the renewed interest in research have led to such a large accumulation of knowledge (knowledge base) that the elaboration of a BMB program requires applying notable doses of synthesis; otherwise, it would be impossible to cover all this subject within the strict confines of the bi-semestral term. Advances in medicine and BMB are inseparable, and much of modern medicine would not be practiced as it is if it were not for our understanding of how hereditary, pathogenic, and environmental factors affect the human body at the molecular level. The importance, therefore, of teaching medical students biochemistry is evident. BMB is a subject that corresponds to the area of biomedicine and is taught during the first year of medicine. The main aim is to study the basics of chemical structures from the molecular viewpoint, with special emphasis on regulating and integrating aspects, necessary to understand such disciplines as physiology, pharmacology, or pathology. Thus, based on many years of experience teaching BMB to medical undergraduates, my aim is to define what it is that a graduate in medicine should know about the subject.
ABSTRACT
In order to improve the teaching of biochemistry and molecular biology experiment course and improving students' mastery of theoretical knowledge and comprehensive quality,we made a series of reform in the teaching of biochemistry and molecular biology experiment course,including enriching of teaching content (for example,updating content,setting up experiments,adding design/comprehensive experiments),reforming teaching mode (for example,increasing teaching methods and demonstration teaching),perfecting the system of teaching evaluation (matching laboratory report and experiment assessment).Through the questionnaire after the teaching reform,it was found that the students are more enthusiastic about the experiment course than before,and their experiment technology is more proficient.In addition to that,the teaching effect of biochemistry and molecular biology experiment course has been obviously improved.The methods and effects of the above reforms in recent years are summarized in order to provide useful reference for the experimental teaching of Biochemistry and molecular biology in medical colleges.
