Biochemistry Lecture Research Articles

Bridging the biochemistry lecture and laboratory courses: Construction and application of the "Innovative Experimental Design" module.

Both lecture and laboratory courses of biochemistry are important professional courses for undergraduates with biology related majors. Course optimization and update is crucial but challenging, especially for the laboratory course. Although taught separately, here we showed a strategy to bridge the two courses and promote the improvement of both. In addition to knowledge teaching, we implanted the "Innovative Experimental Design" module in the lecture course in which students were required to design and present their own experimental ideas. After evaluation by the faculty group, the best idea was supported for further experimental test. Here we described the preliminary experiments and optimization procedures about the idea of microbial fuel cells. This experiment is ready to be included into the laboratory course program in spring 2023.

Efficacy of Google Form-based MCQ tests for formative assessment in medical biochemistry education.

Biochemistry, being a vast and complex subject, can be challenging for Phase I MBBS students to comprehend and retain. Embracing rapidly evolving technology can facilitate a more accessible learning experience. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of using Google Form-based multiple-choice question (MCQ) tests as a formative assessment tool after each biochemistry lecture series. The aim was to assess the improvement and gather feedback of Phase I MBBS students on the utility of this assessment tool. This educational prospective longitudinal study was conducted by the Department of Biochemistry at a university-affiliated medical college and tertiary care hospital. The study included 150 Phase I MBBS students as participants. Google Form-based MCQ tests were implemented as educational interventions after each lecture series during the study period. The study compared the internal assessment (IA) MCQ marks of students before and after the implementation of the intervention. In addition, feedback questionnaires were collected from the students. There was a significant improvement in students' scores between the first IA (mean ± standard deviation [SD], 8.16 ± 3.08) and second IA (mean ± SD, 17.64 ± 2.02) (P < 0.0001). According to students' feedback, 149 out of 150 (99.3%) students found the use of Google Form-based MCQ tests as a formative assessment tool in the teaching-learning process to be highly beneficial and motivated them to engage in their biochemistry studies. With the shift toward competency-based medical education (CBME) in India, it is crucial for educators to embrace novel teaching-learning and evaluation approaches. Our study highlighted the efficacy of employing Google Form-based MCQ tests in enhancing students' comprehension of the biochemistry subject, evaluating their scores and improving the overall quality of learning. Through this mode of assessment, teachers were able to provide targeted feedback on areas that required improvement, thereby enhancing the learning experience.

Effectiveness of Quiz-Enhanced Videocasts for the Review of Foundational Sciences in the Podiatry Curriculum.

Integrated medical curricula commonly require the review of foundational science concepts in the context of clinical applications. A detailed analysis of the Des Moines University second-year medical curricula revealed that such reviews, conducted as hours-long basic science lectures in second-year clinical systems courses, often create undesirable redundancy and can load the curriculum with excessively detailed content. We hypothesized that short, quiz-enhanced videocasts (QEVs) would allow a more focused and efficient review of foundational sciences than traditional lectures. Five biochemistry lectures in the second year Des Moines University Doctor of Podiatric Medicine curriculum were reviewed for relevance and redundancy, shortened to 8- to 12-min QEVs and offered to students as an alternative to the respective hours-long lecture. Download data show that students chose content delivery by QEV as frequently as delivery of lectures, with QEV use peaking in the days immediately preceding the exam. Survey comments show that students appreciate the efficiency and flexibility of content delivery by QEV, particularly for focused exam preparation. We conclude that the review of foundational concepts by means of short, interactive videocasts can reduce redundant and excessively detailed content from integrated curricula. Although the faculty effort for context review, content selection, and videocast production is higher than for the design of a traditional lecture, the end product offers students a much-appreciated opportunity for efficient, focused, and individualized learning.

Editorial introductions.

Editorial introductions.

A Tale of Two Semesters: Flipped Biochemistry Curriculum in the Time of COVID

Social distancing and online education demands have had an immediate impact on the delivery of biochemistry curriculum to meet the student, faculty, and institutional needs. During the Fall 2020 and 2021 semesters, one model of hybrid online flipped learning was applied to an introduction to biochemistry lecture course. Normal classroom lectures were turned into voice‐over PowerPoint videos. Students were expected to have watched the lecture videos before coming to class. After gaining experience with the flipped classroom and social distancing model, student learning shifted from passive to active engagement by applying their knowledge during in person classroom activities including question response, board problems, 3D molecular modeling kits, and think pair share exercises. Students self‐reported that they liked the flexibility of watching the lecture videos before class and the ability to rewind and pause the videos. Students also commented in student evaluations that the in‐class activities and practice problems were helpful in applying their understanding. Compared to the previous six years, the withdrawal rate heavily decreased in Fall 2020 using this flipped learning style decreasing from a usual 30% to 10%. In addition, no students earned a D or an F for Fall 2020 and Fall 2021 in the introduction to biochemistry course compared to previous years where 10% of the class normally would be in this grade range. This preliminary assessment of the Fall 2020/2021 grade distributions and withdrawal number supports that flipped learning and focus on application of the lecture material in class can be a powerful combination for improved understanding. This is especially relevant to the threshold concepts identified by the ASBMB. Out of class recorded lectures can introduce topics and in class time can be spent focusing on the more difficult concepts and understanding in biochemistry.

Hybrid Service-Learning Group Project in the First Semester of a Biochemistry Lecture Course: Developing Interactive Lessons for the Public Library

Hybrid Service-Learning Group Project in the First Semester of a Biochemistry Lecture Course: Developing Interactive Lessons for the Public Library

Misconceptions of biology education students in Biochemistry Course during the COVID-19 pandemic

Misconception is one of the main problems in biology education which has the potential to increase when course is packaged in a e-learning. This study aimed to map the level of the biochemistry concept accuracy of students who take online biochemistry lectures. This quantitative research involved Biology Education students, FKIP UMM as research subjects. Online lectures were conducted for ten meetings using ELMU UMM. At the 11st meeting, a concept accuracy test was carried out. The data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics. The result, 64% of students have a low level of concept accuracy, 14% moderate, and 0% good. Therefore, online learning packaging needs to be optimized so that the percentage accuracy of the biochemical concepts of students is maximized.

Effectiveness of team teaching in biochemistry lectures for undergraduate students.

Team teaching is an innovative method to engage the large group and make lectures more interesting. The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of team teaching in first year biochemistry lecture classes. After obtaining ethical clearance, 150 first year medical undergraduate students participated in the study on a voluntary basis. Topic identified for team teaching was "Protein biosynthesis" in Biochemistry, which was designed to be carried out in 5 h of lecture by three teachers. At the end of the team teaching module and traditional lectures, a structured anonymous feedback was obtained from the students. At the end of each class, students' understanding of the lecture was assessed by an MCQ test comprising 5-6 items, which mainly tested the recollection and understanding levels of Bloom's taxonomy. This was compared with traditional lectures. The mean MCQ test score was significantly higher for team teaching when compared to traditional teaching. The students had increased attention span and were able to answer questions from later part of the class in team lectures. The students had reported that lectures taught by team were more interesting and informative. They also felt that the team was more receptive to the doubts raised, stimulated discussion on the topic and had a better rapport with the class.

Michael Wakelam (15 July 1955–31 March 2020)

Our friend and colleague, Michael Wakelam, the Director of the Babraham Institute, passed away from respiratory complications arising from suspected Covid-19 infection on 31 March 2020. Michael’s career spanned more than 40 years and 200 papers, during which he made many friends and was heavily involved in scientific leadership. He was also a great supporter of the Biochemical Society and its journals.Michael obtained his BSc in Medical Biochemistry (1977) and PhD in Biochemistry (1980) from the University of Birmingham, having worked on the expression of hepatic glucokinase. At Birmingham Michael also met his life-long partner, Jane Fensome, who later became his wife. Together they moved to the University of Konstanz where Michael undertook a post-doc with Dirk Pette, studying inositol lipid turnover during myoblast fusion; this shift towards signal transduction was prompted by Bob Michell’s hypotheses around inositol lipid turnover, and Bob and Michael remained firm friends. In 1983, Michael moved to Imperial College London, as a Beit Memorial Fellow, studying the RAS oncoproteins with the late Chris Marshall and Allan Hall at the Institute of Cancer Research.In 1985, Michael became a lecturer in biochemistry at the University of Glasgow. Here, Michael’s lab discovered that RAS could regulate a phospholipase C, though the full significance of this was not recognized until 15 years later, when PLC-ε was identified as a RAS effector. Michael’s lab, together with those of Miles Houslay and Graeme Milligan, was vibrant and exciting, with a strong work ethic; experiments ran 7 days a week and into the evening. Results were discussed as they came off the scintillation counter, and digested over beers on Byres Road. Michael’s excitement for science was infectious and several significant scientific careers were forged, including Shireen Davies, Susan Pyne and Robin Plevin. Michael also took his first steps in lipid analysis by mass spectrometry (MS) demonstrating that PLD and PLC generate DAG species with distinct fatty acyl chains.Michael’s interest in lipid-MS really took off in 1993, when he returned to Birmingham as Professor of Molecular Pharmacology in the Institute for Cancer Studies. With Trevor Pettitt, Michael developed the methods that made lipid-MS routine, providing unparalleled new insights into lipid signalling; the days of scraping radiolabelled lipids off silica thin layer chromatography (TLC) plates were finally gone! With Matt Hodgkin, Dale Powner, Khalid Saqib, Mark McDermott and Neil Shimwell, Michael also discovered key elements in the regulation and functions of PLD1 and PLD2. Michael became increasingly involved in science leadership, sitting on the MRC Council as Chair of the Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board and serving on Site Visit Assessment panels in the UK and abroad. It was also during this time that Jane and Michael welcomed their sons Alex and Patrick to their world.Michael joined the Babraham Institute as Director in 2007, attracted by the opportunity to lead a world-class research institute that pioneered work on lipid signalling. Michael’s lab continued to work on PLD, autotaxin/LPA and lipid metabolism. Michael also provided the vision and drive to create a fantastic lipid-MS facility, run by Qifeng Zhang and, latterly, by Andrea Lopez. This increased capability and Michael’s encyclopaedic knowledge supported many significant collaborations, including: Eyal Gottlieb and Almut Schulze (cancer), Linda Partridge and David Gems (ageing) and Rob Semple (overgrowth syndromes). His pre-eminence in lipid signalling and lipidomics was recognized by the award of the Biochemical Society’s Morton Lecture in 2018.The further development of the Babraham Research Campus is the lasting legacy of Michael’s leadership at Brabaham. Michael worked with Derek Jones and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to bend the ear of successive science ministers, including David Willetts, securing significant public investment so that Babraham is now home to both a world-renowned institute and 60 biotech/drug discovery companies, and is the model for all BBSRC UK Research and Innovation Campuses.Michael was a tireless supporter of Brabaham science, ever present at seminars and student posters, always asking questions and always approachable. He is fondly remembered for turning up slightly late, often out of breath, but immediately ‘hooking in’ to the scientific discussion. Although the Director, he was still Michael, talking science over a pint at the Social Club or running on the treadmill in the gym. His humanity always shone through, supporting students, post-docs, staff and collaborators through difficult scientific or personal situations.For all his achievements, Michael’s greatest joy and comfort was as a husband and father. He regaled us with his sons’ latest exploits, and we all sensed his growing pride as they progressed to university and chose their own paths in life. Their first child, Ellen, tragically died at birth and was always remembered as a member of the family. There was a very strong bond in the Wakelam family and we, his colleagues, offer our deepest condolences and best wishes to Jane, Patrick and Alex.

A Course‐based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) in Biochemistry II Lecture

Course‐based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) aim to involve all undergraduate students in a course in an authentic research question. CUREs increase the number of students exposed to research and provide students an opportunity to apply concepts. While many CUREs have been used in laboratory classes, I developed and implemented a CURE on iron uptake in insects in a second semester biochemistry lecture course. Students used common database and bioinformatics tools to explore an assigned Drosophila melanogaster gene and its expression data and found related protein sequences in other insects. After making a multiple sequence alignment, students used the alignment and a related crystal structure to identify key amino acid residues and make predictions about protein structure and function. The project culminated in a formal memo to a research collaborator, who gave students feedback about how their findings fit in the larger project. In the second half of the semester students expanded on skills developed in the CURE to explore the sequence and structure of a protein of interest. From five semesters of iteration I share strategies for incorporating research and bioinformatics into a lecture classroom environment. Student feedback using a modified CURE assessment survey indicates recent versions of the project had student self‐reported scores on discovery and iteration comparable to laboratory‐based CURE projects.Support or Funding InformationNSF IOS‐1656407

Implementing course‐embedded research projects in a large biochemistry lecture

The Biochemistry course at James Madison University is a one‐semester survey course covering everything from atoms to organisms. The students come from a variety of backgrounds and majors, thus it is challenging to make the content accessible to the students and cover the content in adequate depth to prepare students for their careers. I have taken this challenge as an opportunity to develop a series of lecture‐based projects that have students learn biochemistry content through research and experimentation. The large biochemistry lecture section is not an environment where course‐embedded research projects are often found. However, large lecture sections offer the opportunity to expose a large number of students with diverse backgrounds to an open, collaborative research experience. Over the semester long course, students use freely available databases and servers to explore biomolecule structure and function in projects which require students to apply their knowledge of chemistry to biological research questions in an authentic manner. Project topics include spectroscopy, protein purification, drug design, and biomolecule structure prediction and evaluation. In addition to learning the fundamentals of biochemistry, participants develop their skills in experimental design and improve their ability to communicate and disseminate science. To manage the projects on the scale of 50 to 100+ participants at a time, I use the Open Science Framework to store data and report out the findings. From post‐activity assessment, students report increased confidence in their ability to understand fundamental biochemical concepts while also showing increased professional skills. Students also can assemble their projects into portfolios of their work to show to future employers and admissions committees.Support or Funding InformationThomas and Kate F. Jeffress Memorial TrustAccelerating Creative Teaching grant from JMU Libraries

Learning Focus: Scaffolded Primary Literature Curriculum for Improved Student Skills

Essential student skills in the molecular life sciences include the ability to locate relevant chemical literature, to critically analyze and evaluate primary literature, and to communicate scientific understanding in written and oral forms. Often, students have difficulty using primary literature and there is a lack of resources for purposeful development of these skills. To improve undergraduate skills for reading, writing, and critiquing primary literature, a curriculum was developed for an introductory biochemistry lecture to allow students to engage with primary literature in a controlled environment and gradually increase their usage. The curriculum consisted of case studies relating to lecture topics and figure summaries, where students would locate a primary, peer‐reviewed research article and summarize one of the figures from the article. After gaining experience with primary literature in these assignments, students wrote a literature review on a protein’s structure‐function relationship. This scaffolded primary literature curriculum was intended to shift student learning from passive to active engagement by applying their knowledge to reading and critiquing science to improve their confidence. From 2016–2019, the curriculum was assessed using student evaluations, pre‐ and post‐surveys, and student writing samples. Students reported that they felt more comfortable understanding the background necessary to use and critique primary literature, and communicate about that literature in written form. Student performance on these assignments showed that statistical improvement in assignment scores was not achieved until the third case study or figure summary.

Developing and Implementing a Free Online Protein Structure and Function Exploration Project To Teach Undergraduate Students Macromolecular Structure–Function Relationships

One of the learning outcomes of any undergraduate biochemistry course should be an appreciation of the relationship between structure and function in biological macromolecules. The availability of state-of-the-art modeling software provides an opportunity to achieve this goal in interesting ways. The Protein Structure and Function Exploration (PSAFE) project was developed at the University of Virginia to introduce undergraduate biochemists to the significance of structure–function relationships and the nuances of scientific writing. The PSAFE project uses the molecular-document capability of the ICM Browser (from Molsoft LLC) to accomplish its goals. Students in introductory biochemistry lecture courses are each assigned a particular protein or nucleic acid to study and characterize throughout the semester. The students progress from learning the basics of protein structure early in the course to a thorough analysis of their proteins and how they achieve their functions, culminating in production of a descriptive narrative by the end of the semester. The student projects are reviewed and edited and then uploaded to an archival website. More than 1100 such projects have now been archived on this site. The majority of the students in these courses report that the PSAFE project was a challenging but highly satisfying experience that greatly enriched their understanding and appreciation of protein structure. PSAFE Online is now available to any interested instructors and students.

Editorial introductions

Editorial introductions

Symposium 20: Bachelor of Biochemistry in Brazil – 40 years of teaching biochemistry in the United States

Symposium – 20Bachelor of Biochemistry in Brazil Chair: Bayardo B. Torres, IQ-USPForty years of teaching Biochemistry – successes, setbacks and stories – will be described and the future of Biochemistry teaching will be predicted. Faculty in my Biochemistry Department in the United States teach Biochemistry courses at all University levels – to professional students, graduate students, science undergraduates and even undergraduate arts majors (biochemistry for poets). Students frequently think (unfairly, I’d say) that Biochemistry is their most difficult course. In my experience, medical students are the most competitive, pharmacy students are the most interested, dental students are mostly focused on teeth & oral decay, grad students and science undergraduates have the largest range of interest and attention span, and undergraduate poets often ask the best questions. Laboratory-based courses have been dropped in recent years because of too much expense and time commitment, but rotations by first-year graduate students through faculty research laboratories remain very popular and successful. The best undergraduates also work in faculty labs for University credit. On-line Biochemistry lecture courses are now common and provide both challenges and opportunities for Biochemistry Departments.

Stephen G. Young

Stephen G. Young

PENGEMBANGAN MODUL BIOMOLEKUL DAN METABOLISME DENGAN PARADIGMA UNITY OF SCIENCES DAN GROWTH MINDSET

This research is a research and development aiming to develop Biochemistry lecture module on Biomolecule and Metabolism Material with Unity of Sciences and Growth mindset paradigm, as well as to test its effectiveness. This research uses Sugiyono model and implemented in the Department of Chemistry Education. The validation of products is carried out by religious experts and biochemists. Trials were conducted 2 times, in small groups and large groups that received biochemistry courses. The result of validation by religious experts is 92% and biochemist 88%. Based on the improved aspects of cognitive learning outcomes and learners' responses, the modules developed having high effectiveness. This is shown by the results of cognitive learning small classes show mastery of 85% and large classes reached 79%. While the responses of small class students obtained the score 84%, and 75% of the large class students.

Introducing TBL in Clinical Biochemistry: Perceptions of Students and Faculty

This article was migrated. The article was not marked as recommended. Clinical biochemistry is one of the foundational sciences essential for preparing medical students to achieve the optimal benefit of their clinical experience. In the Faculty of Medicine of King Abdulaziz University (FOM-KAU), clinical biochemistry is taught as a core course and system-based modules in 2nd, 3rd and 4th year. The teaching strategy is mainly teacher-centered, with lecture comprising the highest percentage among teaching methods, while self-directed learning (SDL) receiving the lowest percentage.The aim of this study was to evaluate the current teaching methods of clinical biochemistry at the FOM-KAU, while concurrently assessing the need for introducing a new student-centred teaching method. This was done through evaluating the level of knowledge, interest, and attitude of medical students and teaching faculty in Team Based Learning (TBL) in clinical biochemistry courses.The results of this study revealed that almost half of the second year medical students did not enjoy attending clinical biochemistry lectures. In addition, approximately half of them recall only 30% of the information they have learned one year after the exam. On the other hand, more than 50% of them enjoyed solving problems /cases, and doing activities during the session. At the same time students and academic staff members had some concerns regarding introducing TBL as a new teaching method. In conclusion, the current teaching methods of clinical biochemistry at the FOM-KAU needs to be modified, with introducing more student-centered teaching methods, like TBL. However, students' concerns such as team work, and faculty concerns regarding student preparation need to be addressed carefully with the participation of all stakeholders. Workshops to teach both students and faculty the elements of TBL would be of great benefit to address any concerns.

Assessment of learning urea cycle by “animated video” verses “OHP method”: perception of Ist BDS students

Durante o curso de odontologia, a bioquímica é considerada de menor prioridade pela maioria dos estudantes, pois supõem que ela terá um papel pequeno nas suas práticas dentárias posteriormente. Instilar o devido valor de aprender bioquímica entre os alunos e fazê-los participar de aulas de bioquímica é uma tarefa desafiadora entre os professores. Esta pesquisa foi conduzida para observar se o interesse dos estudantes em aprender bioquímica pode ser aprimorado se novas tecnologias, como vídeos animados, forem usadas. O método tradicional de ensino com retroprojetor, também foi realizado para fins de comparação dos resultados. O ciclo de ureia foi selecionado como o tópico bioquímico para esta pesquisa. O resultado foi bastante encorajador entre os estudantes, pois eles verificaram que a bioquímica tornara-se uma disciplina mais interessante do que antes.

Circular dichroism spectroscopy: Enhancing a traditional undergraduate biochemistry laboratory experience.

The undergraduate biochemistry laboratory curriculum is designed to provide students with experience in protein isolation and purification protocols as well as various data analysis techniques, which enhance the biochemistry lecture course and give students a broad range of tools upon which to build in graduate level laboratories or once they begin their careers. One of the most common biochemistry protein purification experiments is the isolation and characterization of cytochrome c. Students across the country purify cytochrome c, lysozyme, or some other well-known protein to learn these common purification techniques. What this series of experiments lacks is the use of sophisticated instrumentation that is rarely available to undergraduate students. To give students a broader background in biochemical spectroscopy techniques, a new circular dichroism (CD) laboratory experiment was introduced into the biochemistry laboratory curriculum. This CD experiment provides students with a means of conceptualizing the secondary structure of their purified protein, and assessments indicate that students' understanding of the technique increased significantly. Students conducted this experiment with ease and in a short time frame, so this laboratory is conducive to merging with other data analysis techniques within a single laboratory period. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(6):515-520, 2017.