Biochemistry Teaching Research Articles

Pen and palm model to envision the coexistence of induced-fit and substrate-strain theories of enzyme action.

Competency-based physiology and biochemistry education can benefit from the creative integration of imaginative narratives into traditional teaching methods. This paper proposes an innovative model using a pen and palm analogy to visualize enzyme function theories. The pen (substrate) must fit snugly into the palm (enzyme's active site) for catalysis to occur, akin to induced-fit theory. Pressing the pen's top button with the thumb represents the strain needed to convert substrate (pen with nib inside) into product (pen with nub out, ready to write). By leveraging everyday objects creatively, students can enhance their understanding and engagement with enzymatic reactions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Understanding how enzymes work can be tricky, but a new teaching method using everyday objects like pens and palms helps make it easier. Two main theories explain this: the induced-fit model and the substrate-strain model. To visualize this, imagine a pen as the substrate and your palm as the enzyme. When you hold the pen with your fingers (induced-fit), it's like the enzyme changing shape to hold the substrate. Pressing the pen's button with your thumb (substrate-strain) is like the enzyme applying pressure to make the pen ready to write. This simple analogy helps students better understand these complex processes, making learning more engaging and accessible.

Methods Of Improving The Quality Of Medical Education Through The Teaching Of Biochemistry, Adjusting Its Teaching And Assessment, And Introducing New Teaching Methods

Methods Of Improving The Quality Of Medical Education Through The Teaching Of Biochemistry, Adjusting Its Teaching And Assessment, And Introducing New Teaching Methods

A cost-effective enzyme kinetics and inhibition model for biochemistry education and research.

Enzyme kinetics and inhibition studies are crucial in biochemistry education and research. Conventional methods often require expensive equipment and reagents, potentially limiting their accessibility in limited resource settings. Our approach sought to develop a cost-effective experimental design for studying enzyme kinetics and inhibition. Lactase was chosen as a protein model and its activity was investigated by measuring glucose production from lactose hydrolysis. In the study, commercially available lactase pills were used as an enzyme source, while milk was used as a substrate. Instead of scientific equipment, glucometers were used to measure lactase activity. Enzyme kinetics were evaluated using Michaelis-Menten and Lineweaver-Burk plots. In the study, the effects of temperature, pH, and inhibitors were also investigated. The results of our study aligned with established enzyme kinetics theories and previous studies. Lactase showed temperature and pH-dependent activity, with decreased activity observed at both low and high extremes. Results also showed that galactose acts as a competitive inhibitor of lactase. The approach presented here offers a cost-effective procedure for studying enzyme kinetics and inhibition. It can act as a valuable tool for educational purposes and for preliminary research in settings with limited resources.

Influence of didactic strategies in the learning of biochemistry in students of a university in the Mexican Southeast

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the teaching strategies used by teachers in teaching biochemistry and the level of learning achieved by students. The teaching-learning process in higher education institutions must adapt to the current demands and requirements of a constantly changing society. University students who study biochemistry need to develop skills that encourage self-learning. The research was carried out with 115 students from a university in the southeast of Mexico, (USoM), to observe and describe a phenomenon. Since there was no control or manipulation of variables, we classify this study as descriptive and "ex post facto," given that the phenomenon had already occurred. Students primarily developed their competencies in comprehension (37%) and analysis (33%). However, when applying for a pilot exam, the majority of responses focused on the aspects of knowledge (36%) and understanding (32%). The present study was carried out under the ethical conditions of informed consent of the participants, promulgated in the Declaration of Helsinki. The participation was voluntary, it was developed with an attitude of empathy, and respect, emotional support, and understanding. The confidentiality and privacy of participants were protected at all times. According to the results observed, a transformation in the didactic strategies employed in the teaching of Biochemistry in the Health Science courses in Mexican universities is suggested.

Exploring Undergraduate Biochemistry Students' Gesture Production Through an Embodied Framework.

Interpreting three-dimensional models of biological macromolecules is a key skill in biochemistry, closely tied to students' visuospatial abilities. As students interact with these models and explain biochemical concepts, they often use gesture to complement verbal descriptions. Here, we utilize an embodied cognition-based approach to characterize undergraduate students' gesture production as they described and interpreted an augmented reality (AR) model of potassium channel structure and function. Our analysis uncovered two emergent patterns of gesture production employed by students, as well as common sets of gestures linked across categories of biochemistry content. Additionally, we present three cases that highlight changes in gesture production following interaction with a 3D AR visualization. Together, these observations highlight the importance of attending to gesture in learner-centered pedagogies in undergraduate biochemistry education.

Enhancing teaching effectiveness in biochemistry labs: Author reflections and improvement strategies.

This article details the outcome of a joint reflective approach undertaken by the authors to identify common difficulties experienced by 2nd-year undergraduate Biochemistry students in laboratory classes. Difficulties experienced in laboratories can affect the development of hand skills, an understanding of how to correctly operate laboratory equipment and the linkage between didactic content and their experimental demonstration. These difficulties covered were identified based on their common appearance across multiple cohorts and are grouped into five broad areas. The context of the laboratory exercises is detailed and the common difficulties experienced by students are outlined. The potential causes of these difficulties are then discussed along with the approaches and strategies that were implemented to help resolve future occurrences. The approach and resources developed to address these difficulties may help other Biochemistry educators who are facing similar experiences with their undergraduate students.

From the biochemical pieces to the nutritional puzzle: using meta-reactions in teaching and research

We now live in an era where metabolic data are increasingly accessible and available. Analysis of this data can be done using novel techniques (e.g., machine learning and artificial intelligence) but this does not alleviate scientists to use “human intelligence”. The objective of this paper is to combine the information of a large database of biochemical reactions with a method and tool to make nutritional biochemistry more accessible to nutritionists. A script was developed to extract information from a database with more than 16 000 biochemical reactions so that it can be used for “biochemical bookkeeping”. A system of more than 300 meta-reactions (i.e., the outcome reaction of a series of connected individual reactions) was constructed covering a wide range of metabolic pathways for macro- and micronutrients. Meta-reactions were constructed by identifying metabolic nodes, which are inputs or outputs of a metabolic system or that serve as connection points between meta-reactions. Complete metabolic pathways can be constructed by combining and balancing the meta-reactions using a simple Excel tool. To illustrate the use of meta-reactions and the tool in the teaching of nutritional biochemistry, examples are given to illustrate how much ATP can be synthesized from glucose, either directly or indirectly (i.e., via storage and mobilization or via transfer of intermediate metabolites between tissues and generations). To illustrate how meta-reactions and the tool can be used in research, nutrient balance data of the mammary gland of a dairy cow were used to construct a plausible pathway of nutrient metabolism of the whole mammary gland. The balance data included 34 metabolites taken up or exported by the mammary gland and 39 meta-reactions were used to construct a metabolic pathway that accounted for the uptake and output of metabolites. The results highlighted the importance of the synthesis of proline from arginine and the concomitant synthesis of urea by the mammary gland. It also raised the question of whether the availability of metabolic pathways or glucose uptake would be the more limiting factor for the synthesis of NADPH required for fatty acid synthesis. The availability of an open database with biochemical reactions, the concept of meta-reactions, and the provision of a tool allow users to construct metabolic pathways, which helps acquiring a more comprehensive and integrated view of metabolism and may raise issues that may be difficult to identify otherwise.

Development and assessment of a virtual escape-room game for teaching industrial bioprocesses.

This article presents a study on the implementation of a virtual escape-room game as a novel teaching methodology in biochemistry education. The game aimed to engage students in producing monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 while reinforcing theoretical concepts and fostering teamwork. Three versions of the game were tested, incorporating modifications to address student feedback on and improve the overall experience. The study employed a satisfaction survey to gather insights from students regarding their perception of the game. Results showed that the implementation of answer flexibility using RegEx had a significant positive impact on student satisfaction and motivation. The introduction of RegEx allowed for a more realistic and immersive gaming experience, as students could provide varied answers while still being evaluated correctly. Overall, the findings highlight the effectiveness of the game's design, the suitability of the Google Forms platform for distance learning, and the importance of incorporating answer flexibility through RegEx. These results provide valuable guidance for educators seeking to enhance student engagement and satisfaction through the use of escape-room games in biochemistry education.

Bridging Gaps in Teaching and Learning Biochemistry: A Qualitative Study

Objective: To identify the sources of learning gaps in biochemistry teaching and learning and explore new teaching and learning strategies, considering the students' perceptions and felt needs. Study Design: Exploratory qualitative study (Social-constructivist philosophical worldview). Place and Duration of Study: Public Sector Medical College, Pakistan, from Jul 2020 to Jul 2021. Methodology: Students from all five years of medical college were recruited voluntarily after their written consent. Ten focus group discussions were conducted, each consisting of approximately 8 to 12 participants. Each session was recorded and then later transcribed verbatim. Verbatim FGDs were reviewed, and codes were given as the concept became recognizable. A code structure was developed via an inductive approach, and then sub-themes and themes were generated. Results: Ten major themes were generated from the FGDs. These themes were teaching, students’ motivation, clinical irrelevance, educational needs, transition difficulty, attitudes, student support, senior peers, curriculum coherence, and assessment. These themes were further elucidated to explain the causes of the learning gaps and provide suggestions. Conclusion: This study concludes that teaching, students’ motivation, clinical irrelevance, educational needs, difficulty in transition, student attitude, student support, senior peers, curriculum coherence, and assessment are the potential sources of the learning gap to achieve intended learning outcomes of biochemistry for medical students.

Optimization of Balanced Distribution of Online and Offline Biochemistry Teaching Resources Utilizing Machine Learning Algorithms and Big Data

Utilizing machine learning algorithms, the current conventional optimization methods for balanced allocation of teaching resources are enhanced. These methods primarily focus on predicting the current network resource load capacity without calculating the adaptation factor, often leading to suboptimal allocation outcomes. To address this issue, we propose a balanced allocation optimization approach for online and offline biochemistry education resources, taking into account the importance degree and big data. This approach calculates the probabilistic importance of teaching resources and the user delay in distinct modes to identify the optimal balanced allocation of teaching resources. Our experimental results comfirm that this approach achieves a higher resource utilization rate and a more desirable allocation effect compared to previous methods.

Research on the Path of Aiding Integrating Excellent Traditional Chinese Culture into Biochemistry Teaching Curriculum with the Artificial Intelligence Technologies

Traditional culture has profound connotation and great inclusiveness. Incorporating traditional culture into biochemistry education not only boosts students' enthusiasm and attentiveness but also expands their analytical viewpoints. With the help of artificial intelligence technology, interweaving scientific and cultural wisdom, we can better promote our ancient traditions and instill a deep sense of national pride in our students. The article delves into the backdrop of merging Chinese exemplary traditional culture with the biochemistry curriculum. It further investigates the challenges of intensifying the instruction of this esteemed culture and the considerations when utilizing Chinese traditional values to enhance biochemistry education. On this basis, the article highlights the practical rationale for weaving Chinese exemplary traditional culture into the biochemistry curriculum, and briefly discusses the possible ways to improve the teaching effect of the course with the help of artificial intelligence technology, in order to promote the profound synergy between the three and thus promote the development of the biochemistry education framework.

Enhancing Teaching and Learning of Glycolysis in Biochemistry: A PCK-based Approach for Biochemistry Educators

The Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)-based approach is a teaching framework that integrates both subject matter knowledge (content knowledge) and effective teaching strategies (pedagogical knowledge). In biochemistry education, the PCK-based approach aims to enhance the teaching and learning of glycolysis by providing educators with the necessary tools and strategies to effectively convey complex concepts to students. Glycolysis is a fundamental metabolic pathway in biochemistry that plays a crucial role in energy production and the synthesis of important biomolecules. As biochemistry educators, it is essential to effectively teach and facilitate the learning of glycolysis concepts and principles to ensure students' comprehensive understanding and application of this pathway. To achieve this, adopting a pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)-based approach can provide biochemistry educators with a framework to enhance their teaching strategies and improve student learning outcomes..

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.

Professor José Luis Capelo Martinez, a researcher who believes that science and technology have a direct and tangible impact on human well-being kindly granted BrJAC an interview

J. L. Capelo, PhD, gets his bachelor’s degree in chemistry by the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), his doctorate in Analytical Chemistry by University of Vigo, UVIGO (Spain, award to the best doctoral thesis 2002) and his Post-Doc from the Instituto Superior Técnico de Lisboa (Portugal). His academic career comprises assistant to staff and lecturer at the UVIGO; research fellow at the Chemistry Department of the New University of Lisbon, CD-FCT-UNL, research fellow at the CDUVIGO, and assistant professor at the CD-FCT- UNL. Currently he is Associate Professor at the CD-FCT-UNL. Dr. Capelo is co-head of the bioscopegroup (www.bioscopegroup.org.) and his CV comprises (up to October 2023): 290 manuscripts; 250 congress communications (orals and posters); 23 projects; 2 Patents, 1 license agreement and 3 books (1 authored and 2 edited). He has chaired 65 international conferences and is presently involved in the direction of 7. He was a member of the advisory board of Talanta from 2006 to 2014 and is Editor in Chief of the on-line Journal JIOMICS (www.JIOMICS.com) since its creation in 2011. He is presently mentoring or co-mentoring a total of 3 doctoral theses, and he has mentored 3 post-doctoral grants, 10 doctoral grants, 9 masters and 8 final projects. His current research interest is devoted to developing new methodological approaches in personalised medicine using new proteomics approaches and unravelling bacterial resistance to antibiotics. He is a Fellow Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, member of the American Chemical Society and member of the Portuguese Society of Chemistry. H index 45 (Scopus Scholar). 8300 Citations. His skills include sampling and sample treatment for trace metals; metal speciation, proteomics, biomarker discovery; food chemistry; and development and validation of analytical procedures. Analytical techniques: HPLC-ICP-MS, ET-AAS, F-AAS, CVAAS, HG- AAS, HG-AFS, MALDI-TOF-MS/MS, RP-HPLC-ESI-IT-MS/MS. Teaching (theory and laboratory) in Analytical Biochemistry, Proteomics, and related disciplines. H index 40, circa 8000 citations. Awards: Best 2002 Doctoral Thesis in Chemistry. University of Vigo. Spain. Rainbow Prize 2017.

Exploring the Cultivation of Talents in Medical Skills and Ethics from the Perspective of the Community with a Shared Future for Doctors and Patients—Taking the Teaching of Biochemistry as an Example

Exploring the Cultivation of Talents in Medical Skills and Ethics from the Perspective of the Community with a Shared Future for Doctors and Patients—Taking the Teaching of Biochemistry as an Example

Evaluation of effectiveness of case-based learning in clinical biochemistry teaching among phase-I MBBS students

Background: Biochemistry is a crucial science in medical education, traditionally taught through didactic lectures and practical sessions. However, a shift toward a student-centric approach is promoting lifelong self-directed learning and motivation. Case-based learning (CBL) and interactive didactic lectures (IDL) are two methodologies, with CBL fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, while interactive lectures may not be as effective. Aims and Objectives: The objectives of the research were to evaluate the effectiveness of CBL in comparison with IDL in teaching clinical biochemistry to 1st-year MBBS students and to analyze the perceptions of both students and faculty members regarding CBL. Materials and Methods: The study used a pre-validated questionnaire and a prevalidated perception questionnaire to collect data from students and faculty members. The students were divided into two groups, with group A having odd roll numbers and group B having even roll numbers. The study was divided into two sessions. In session 1, both groups were assessed on their baseline knowledge through a pre-test on Topic 1, with group A receiving CBL and group B receiving an IDL. Post-tests were taken to evaluate understanding and retention of the material. In session 2, both groups underwent another pre-test on topic 2, with group A receiving an IDL and group B receiving CBL. Post-tests were also conducted to assess understanding and retention. Results: The results showed that both groups had similar pre-test performance, but the CBL group showed a significant improvement in post-test performance compared to the IDL group. In addition, both students and faculty members had a positive perception of CBL, with the majority agreeing that it improved teacher–student communication, facilitated active participation, enhanced understanding of key concepts, and promoted knowledge application. Conclusion: The study suggests that CBL is an effective teaching method for medical education, aligning with modern educational approaches that emphasize student-centered learning. The positive feedback and improved academic performance support the integration of CBL into medical curricula, promoting meaningful learning and preparing students for lifelong self-directed learning.

Innovation and practice of ideological and political education in the bilingual teaching of biochemistry

Biochemistry is a comprehensive discipline involving structure, function and interrelationships of life at the molecular level. Globally, more and more educational institutions are using bilingual teaching as a means to improve students' language ability and subject level. However, in the bilingual teaching of biochemistry, the integration of ideological and political education is often ignored, which leads to the lack of profound understanding of ideology and morality while learning academic knowledge. Therefore, the study of how to effectively integrate ideological and political education into the bilingual teaching of biochemistry has become an urgent problem to be solved. This paper aims to explore how to effectively integrate ideological and political education in bilingual teaching to improve students' academic and ideological education. The paper first analyzes the current situation and challenges of the bilingual biochemistry teaching, and then proposes a series of innovative practical strategies to strengthen the application of ideological and political education in the biochemistry teaching. Finally, the empirical study and case analysis demonstrate the effectiveness and utility of these strategies.

An acceptability study of the introduction of total online or partial online PBL in a large classroom setting in biochemistry

BackgroundTraditional problem-based learning (PBL) relying on tutored learning in small groups is very resource-intensive. Little is known about the benefits of PBL in a large classroom setting. This paper introduced a PBL case into the traditional didactic biochemistry course and investigated the acceptability of total online or partial online PBL in a large classroom setting introduced during the coronavirus pandemic.MethodsThe students were allocated into either total online Group 1, partial online Group 2, or partial online and with poorer academic performance Group 3. A questionnaire comprising of 8 closed-ended questions and 2 open-ended questions and final exam performances were used to evaluate the acceptability of total online or partial online PBL in a large classroom setting. The 8 closed-ended questions were analysed by the Kruskal–Wallis test or chi-square tests. The word cloud analysis of the 2 open-ended questions were conducted by Wenjuanxing. Students’ performances in the final examination were analysed by One-way Anova.ResultsBoth total online and partial online PBL were rated highly by the students. Overall, there were no significant differences in the effectiveness evaluation of PBL between Group 2 and Group 3. There were no significant differences in final exam performances between Group 1 and Group 2. However, Group 1 rated the effectiveness of PBL much higher than Group 2 and 3. Word cloud analysis of the 2 open-ended questions showed students’ positive perspectives of PBL. In biochemistry teaching, from the perspective of the students, the expected optimal number of useful PBL cases might be 2.ConclusionsBoth total online and partial online PBL in a large classroom setting were widely accepted as a beneficial supplement to traditional biochemistry classes.

Teacher and Student’s Expectation towards Biochemistry STEM-based Module in Promoting Critical Thinking and Creativity

This research aims to describe the expectations of teachers and students towards STEM-based Biochemistry modules in promoting critical thinking and creativity. An interdisciplinary approach and appropriate learning module involving elements of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) integrated into the Engineering Design Process (EDP) are deemed to improve student learning experiences through problem-solving activities in the real world. This study used a qualitative descriptive method through a survey. The subject is teachers of Biochemistry courses and students who have taken Biochemistry courses and fill out the survey voluntarily. Research data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive analysis. The results showed that teachers and students expect the modules need to include contextual materials and integrate the elements of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, and the presentation of learning materials should be interactive and attractive. This research will be a reference in developing STEM-based Biochemistry teaching materials that can develop students' critical thinking skills and creativity.

Richard Truscoe: Biochemistry Pioneer, Science Interrupted by War

Richard Truscoe was appointed from University College London in 1957 to establish teaching and research in Biochemistry at Victoria University of Wellington. He had extensive experience in research in England, Europe, and the United States. His scientific career had been interrupted by the Second World War, in which he served as an intelligence officer in the top-secret British Special Operations Executive (SOE). His SOE service was regarded as remarkable. During the war he consistently supported an independent future for Poland and warned of the dangers presented by the territorial ambitions of the Soviet Union. In biochemistry he had been a pioneer researcher on the metabolism of purines, and on the metabolic functions and effects of hormones and blood electrolytes including potassium and sodium. On arrival in Wellington, he predicted a future where biochemistry facilitated production of food grown in laboratories and for advances in medicine based on molecular understanding of disease. He initiated undergraduate and Honours teaching in biochemistry at Victoria University of Wellington, established infrastructure for research and supervised a cohort of a dozen MSc students. His legacy includes graduates who were stimulated to follow research careers, and interests in human health and disease that continue today.