A Narrative Curriculum Using the Primary Literature to Teach Biochemistry

Abstract

The interdisciplinary field of biochemistry and molecular biology (BMB) is expansive, and the pace of scientific discovery is dizzying. This makes teaching the entirety of BMB - even in three semesters - nearly impossible. Instead, BMB education has moved to competencies over content coverage, as enumerated in ASBMB's Foundational Concepts and Skills and in AAAS's Vision and Change. Focusing on a checklist of competencies can still lead students to learning a collection of disparate facts rather than integrating this knowledge across domains. The second-year Biochemistry course at Juniata College uses acetylcholine neurotransmission as a central narrative from which content is constructed. Beginning with texts from the 1700s, students work in groups to iteratively interrogate primary scientific literature by (i) developing specific questions, (ii) using resources to find answers to those questions, (iii) communicating those answers with the peers in their team, and (iv) using the answers to interpret data and figures. In the process, students teach themselves core biochemical concepts interwoven with mathematics, physiology, chemistry, and physics and set in cultural and historical context. Here, I present evidence that this social constructivist approach leads to gains in inclusivity and self-efficacy with respect to teamwork, curiosity, and scientific literacy. Moreover, the approach has led to several collaborative projects, including translations of 19th-century texts from German and French to English. The design of this course stretches BMB education beyond the limits of traditional content acquisition and into new and exciting ways of engaging students and encouraging them to take control of their own education.