Modernization of the Biology Curriculum through Adaptation of an Investigative Laboratory in Molecular Biology

学科：生物科学(61)田纳西大学查塔努加分校正在更新其生物学课程，开发一门综合性、协作性和探究性的分子生物学课程。智力优势：为了满足工业界和学术界对人类和非人类基因组研究日益感兴趣而产生的对具有分子和细胞生物学、遗传学、生物技术、分子医学和生物信息学领域技能的生物学家的日益增长的需求，并满足目前和未来生物学本科生教育的需要，遗传学和分子生物学(MB)的现有课程正在得到加强和现代化。在课程设计中采用的做法包括亲身接触先进和广泛应用的生物技术台式技术，以及使用科学和文献数据库和分子生物学分析软件。引入的具体组成部分反映了最初由戴维森学院主动教学基因组联盟(GCAT)为其高级分子生物学课程开发的研究性实验室课程材料的改编，包括：(1)利用绿色荧光蛋白纳入实验室练习，以及(2)获得基础和高级生物技术仪器。广泛的影响：课程的扩展通过跨学科和跨学科的互动扩展了教师发展和学生成长，并影响了学生的个人研究项目。修订后的分子生物学课程有广泛的应用，包括原核和真核系统的遗传操作和分子表征的经验，以及旨在促进普通生物学、遗传学、微生物学、细胞生物学、生物化学和生物信息学的学生/教师研究和发展的技术。这些变化涉及计算机科学系和化学系的教员参与生物系内生物信息学等跨学科课程的开发，以及将分子生物学技术和分析纳入课程和其他系内该专业接受的课程。重点是研究性学习练习，其中包括一系列科学经验，并有机会进行数据分析、解释、书面表达和口头陈述结果。

Discipline: Biological Sciences (61)The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is updating its biology offerings through development of an integrative, collaborative and inquiry-based course of study in Molecular Biology.Intellectual Merit: To answer the growing need for biologists skilled in the areas of molecular and cell biology, genetics, biotechnology, molecular medicine and bioinformatics generated by increased interest by industry and academia in human and non-human genome studies and to address current and future needs in the education of undergraduates in biology, current course offerings in Genetics and Molecular Biology (MB) are being enhanced and modernized. Practices being introduced in course design include hands-on exposure to advanced and widely applicable benchtop techniques in biotechnology and the use of scientific and literature databases and molecular biology analysis software. Specific components being introduced reflect adaptation of investigative laboratory curriculum materials originally developed by the Genome Consortium for Active Teaching (GCAT) at Davidson College for their advanced molecular biology course and include: (1) incorporation of laboratory exercises utilizing the green fluorescent protein, and (2) acquisition of basic and advanced biotechnological instrumentation.Broader Impacts: This expansion of the curriculum extends faculty development and student growth through interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary interactions as well as impacts individual student research projects. The revised molecular biology course has wide application by including experiences in the genetic manipulation and molecular characterization of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems and incorporating technologies intended to facilitate student/faculty research and development in general biology, genetics, microbiology, cell biology, biochemistry and bioinformatics. The changes instituted involve faculty from both the departments of Computer Science and Chemistry in the development of cross-disciplinary courses, such as Bioinformatics, within the Biology Department and incorporation of molecular biology techniques and analyses into courses and accepted courses for the major within the other departments. Emphasis is being placed on investigative learning exercises that include a progression of scientific experiences with opportunities for data analysis, interpretation, written expression and oral presentation of results.