CourseSource: Resources

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Implementing active learning approaches into an upper-division biology course

In this essay, we present our strategy for implementing active learning strategies into an upper division course on Human Genetics. Our principal goal was to shift from a traditional didactic course design, to one that more clearly placed the...

Courses: Genetics Introductory Biology

human biologyPedigree analysisRare genetic diseases

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Homologous chromosomes? Exploring human sex chromosomes, sex determination and sex reversal using bioinformatics approaches

Constructing a robust understanding of homologous chromosomes, sex chromosomes, and the particulate nature of genes is a notoriously difficult task for undergraduate biology students. In this lesson, students expand their knowledge of human...

Courses: Bioinformatics Genetics Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

bioinformaticsautosomehomologous chromosomeshomologous recombinationsex chromosomesex determinationsex reversal mutations

Teaching Tools and Strategies

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SCIENCE/Fiction: Modular Template for Class Design

We present a modular scaffold for designing an introductory seminar using speculative fiction and science papers to welcome university undergraduates to the biology major. A list of twelve possible topics is included, such as Memory, Parasites,...

Courses: Anatomy-Physiology Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Cell Biology Evolution Genetics Introductory Biology Neurobiology

geneticscell biologyneurosciencesystems biologyScience Fiction

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Fragile States: A Case Study Exploring Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry Through the Lens of Fragile X Syndrome

This case aims to strengthen students’ understanding of molecular biology concepts through study of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). Students begin by learning the cause and phenotypes of FXS and related conditions. Students then apply genetics...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Genetics

gene regulationtranscriptiontranslationFragile X syndrometriplet repeat expansionsex linkagemetabolic pathway

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Teaching Cancer Biology Through a Lens of Social Justice

The biology classroom is not separate from the greater context of society; social issues can and should be presented in connection with the content. Here we present an example of antiracist teaching using the molecular/cellular biology of cancer...

Courses: Cell Biology

assessmentcancersocial justicePOGILAlignmentPublic ExamPublic

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373

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Environmental Injustice: When the Grass is Greener on the Other Side

Environmental pollution is a global threat that is especially prevalent in heavily industrialized and urbanized areas. Pollution can be found in many forms, such as natural and synthetic pollutants from natural and anthropogenic processes. These...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills Toxicology

human healthenvironmental injusticeEnvironmental PollutionSystemic BiasesIdeological AwarenessUrban Ecology and Development

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1690

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Sex-specific differences in Meiosis: Real-world applications

In traditional classrooms, students are typically presented with facts that they are asked to memorize and recall during an exam. The rapid explosion of available scientific facts in recent years has made this model of teaching...

Courses: Cell Biology Genetics Science Process Skills

meiosisReproductionAneuploidyGameteNon-disjunctionOocyteSpermTrisomy

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Pesticides in My Smoothie Bowl?

Teaching resources, especially active learning pedagogy, are scarce for toxicology compared to what is available for other disciplines. Ecological and human health risk assessment are important aspects of toxicology and are routinely used by...

Courses: Toxicology

data analysistoxicologychemical toxicityecological risk assessmenthuman risk assessmentpesticide

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Small Organisms with Big Consequences: Understanding the Microbial World Around Us

Creating a hands-on lab that conveys important information while simultaneously allowing for student autonomy can be difficult. This is particularly true for the field of microbiology, in which labs often rely on “recipe-style”...

Courses: Introductory Biology Microbiology Science Process Skills

disease transmissionmicrobiologymicrobiomeliterature reviewPeer reviewPathogensHealth and WellnessThe Scientific Method

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540

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Using Raw Sequence Data to Analyze Tumor Suppressor Mutations

Learning to identify DNA sequence variants from raw sequencing data (electropherograms) is a basic molecular biology skill with applications to basic research and clinical practice. Yet learning to map DNA sequence variants to functional regions...

Courses: Bioinformatics Genetics

bioinformaticsmutationDNAgenomic visualizationparts of a geneclinical consequencesraw data

Lesson

924

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275

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Population Ecology of the Northern Spotted Owl

The mathematical modeling of populations utilizing field-collected demographic data is an important component of lab curricula in a variety of undergraduate biology lab courses. During the global pandemic brought about by the SARS-CoV-2 virus in...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology

demographyCommunity Ecologypopulation ecologyconservation biologylife tables

Teaching Tools and Strategies

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A 360˚ View of COVID-19

In March 2020, institutions underwent a massive transition to distance learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With so little time to devise new materials to maximize learning in the new virtual environment, instructors devised a variety of...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Bioinformatics Cell Biology Evolution Genetics Immunology Introductory Biology Microbiology Science Process Skills

geneticsImmunologyBiochemistrybioinformaticsmolecular evolutionpublic healthvirusCOVID19

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A virtual laboratory on cell division using a publicly-available image database

Cell division is a key concept in cell biology. While there are many popular activities to teach students the stages of mitosis, most make use of simple schematics, cartoons, or textbook diagrams. Others engage students in acting out the stages,...

Courses: Cell Biology Science Process Skills

image analysismicroscopymitosisCellular Processes

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495

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Does Organelle Shape Matter?: Exploring Patterns in Cell Shape and Structure with High-Throughput (HT) Imaging

Organelle structure has been studied and visualized for decades; however, publicly available databases that use improved high-throughput microscopy of gene-edited cell lines have recently revolutionized the amount and quality of information now...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Bioinformatics Cell Biology Genetics Science Process Skills

modelingcase studymicroscopystructureOrganellesHigh-throughput (HT)Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)Fluorescent microscopyHuman Cell Biology

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Honoring the Complexity of Genetics: Exploring the Role of Genes and the Environment Using Real World Examples

Historically, undergraduate genetics courses have disproportionately focused on the impact of genes on phenotypes, rather than multifactorial concepts which consider how a combination of genes, the environment, and gene-by-environment interactions...

Courses: Evolution Genetics Introductory Biology

genesenvironmentMendelQuantitative traitsMultifactorialGene by environment interactions

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Bacteria to Brains in Backyard Coyotes: An Interdisciplinary Pedagogical Case Study

Our interdisciplinary pedagogical case study explores the differences between rural and urban coyotes at the levels of organismal and community ecology. The focus is on how coyotes’ gut microbiomes could affect their behavior via...

Courses: Cell Biology Ecology Ecology Evolution Immunology Introductory Biology Microbiology

dietanimal behaviorimmune systemmicrobiomeNervous systemgut-brain axisImmunoReachdysbiosisCoyoteCytokines

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Teaching the Central Dogma Using a Case Study of Genetic Variation in Cystic Fibrosis

The central dogma of biology is a foundational concept that is traditionally included in genetics curricula at all academic levels. Despite its ubiquitous presence throughout genetics education, students persistently struggle with both the...

Courses: Genetics

transcriptioncentral dogmatranslationsequence analysisDNA replicationgenetic variants

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A Muscular Dystrophy Case Study Illustrating the Phenotypic Effects of Mutation

Mutations in genes can lead to a variety of phenotypes, including various human diseases. Students often understand that a particular mutation in a single gene causes a disease phenotype, but it is more challenging to illustrate complex genetic...

Courses: Developmental Biology Genetics

mutationProtein Structureethicscentral dogmahuman disease

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Learning the Landscape: An Active and Applied Lesson on Landscape Ecology for General Ecology Courses

Landscape ecology is an important subtopic of ecology. As a field, it is inherently interdisciplinary and provides opportunities to teach not only content, but transferable ecological and geographical skills. Given the broad spectrum of topics in...

Courses: Ecology Ecology

landscape ecologyspatial scaleecosystem managementHabitat fragmentation

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A CRISPR/Cas Guide RNA Design In Silico Activity

CRISPR biotechnologies inspired by the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat RNA-guided nuclease adaptive bacterial immune system have revolutionized biology research and become ubiquitous tools for hypothesis and...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Bioinformatics Cell Biology Genetics