Augmenting Student Research in Developmental Biology at Earlham College

生物系致力于在整个课程中纳入科学探究。该项目的目标是发育生物学课程，并使一系列基于探究的项目成为可能，这些项目使用各种光学和扫描电子显微镜技术来研究果蝇胚胎发生。这些专题平行并延伸了讲座中所提出的卵裂和原肠胚形成的例子。它们还巩固了对后续轴和模式形成的理解。 具体来说，学生观察卵裂和原肠胚事件使用明场，微分干涉对比（DIC）和相差技术。早期发育事件也使用视频显微镜记录。在实验室的调查为基础的组成部分中，学生分组工作，要么使用荧光标记物研究细胞核和细胞骨架组织的变化，要么使用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）研究表面形态的变化。这些项目强调胚胎发生是一系列有待探索的问题。这些以探究为基础的项目也建立了与研究相关的美德：技术技能，热情，信心，毅力，关注细节和创造性地解决问题。使用SEM和荧光标记物的细胞核和肌动蛋白丝的试点研究是成功的，在以前的产品的发育生物学。 在这个项目中使用的新设备可能会扩大目前的显微镜能力，包括DIC和视频文件，并显着提高学生的能力，在相衬，荧光和SEM研究。这些设备对于巩固和扩大所述调查项目是必要的。由于在当代实验室手册中描述了用于发育生物学的一些基于探究的练习，这套项目对本科发育生物学实验室做出了重大贡献。这些设备也被纳入现有的中学推广方案。

The Biology Department is committed to incorporating scientific inquiry throughout the curriculum. This project targets the Developmental Biology course and makes possible a set of inquiry-based projects that use various light and scanning electron microscopic techniques to investigate Drosophila embryogenesis. These projects parallel and extend examples of cleavage and gastrulation presented in lecture. They also solidify understanding of subsequent axis and pattern formation. Specifically, students observe cleavage and gastrulation events using bright field, differential-interference-contrast (DIC) and phase contrast techniques. Early developmental events are also documented using videomicroscopy. In the inquiry-based component of the lab, students work in groups to either investigate changes in nuclear and cytoskeletal organization using fluorescent markers or changes in surface morphology using the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The projects emphasize embryogenesis as a set of questions to be explored. These inquiry-based projects also build virtues associated with research: technical skill, enthusiasm, confidence, perseverance, attention to detail, and creative problem solving. Pilot studies using the SEM and fluorescent markers for nuclei and actin filaments were successful in the previous offerings of Developmental Biology. The new equipment used in this project may expand the current microscopic capabilities to include DIC and video documentation and enhance significantly students' capabilities in phase-contrast, fluorescence, and SEM studies. This equipment is necessary for solidifying and expanding the investigative projects described. Since few inquiry-based exercises are described in contemporary laboratory manuals for use in Developmental Biology, this set of projects makes a significant contribution to undergraduate Developmental Biology laboratories. The equipment is also being incorporated into the existing secondary school outreach programs.