RCN-UBE Incubator: Development of a Build-a-Genome Network to Teach Synthetic Biology at Diverse Undergraduate Institutions

约翰霍普金斯大学（Johns Hopkins University）的“构建基因组”（Build-a-Genome）课程就是将真实的跨学科研究经验注入课程的一个例子。这个RCN-UBE网络的PI团队成员都有“构建基因组”课程的经验，现在他们计划在自己的机构推出一个本科生“构建基因组”课程，并通过加入这个新网络帮助其他教师也这样做。构建基因组是一门密集的实验课程，本科生参与合成酵母项目，这是一项大规模的努力，旨在构建世界上第一个合成真核生物基因组。在此过程中，学生将全面介绍合成生物学，学习基本的分子生物学技术，并为前沿研究项目做出重要贡献。智力优势：这个RCN-UBE网络计划在马里兰州的洛约拉大学组织一个全国性的研讨会，向参与者介绍“构建基因组”课程，教授基因合成方法，并将个人聚集在一起，制定计划，在他们的家乡机构实施类似的课程。然后，网络领导者将在北卡罗来纳农工州立大学和哈特威克学院举办一系列较小的区域构建基因组/基因合成研讨会，目标是区域学院的教师推广合成生物学，在当地机构之间建立联系，并传播在国家研讨会上开发的材料。更广泛的影响：拟议的网络包括来自一系列机构类型（大型研究型大学、综合性大学和文理学院）的教师，包括HBCU，并将扩大到包括类似的机构多样性。Build-a-Genome为本科生提供了真正独特的实践学习体验。学生拥有自己的项目，为正在进行的研究工作做出重要贡献，并学习基因合成和分子生物学技术，同时被引入合成生物学的跨学科领域。该项目由生物科学理事会和本科教育司教育和人力资源理事会共同资助，以支持应对《本科教育的愿景与变革：行动呼吁》http://visionandchange.org/finalreport/所提出的挑战

The Build-a-Genome course at Johns Hopkins University is an example of an approach to infuse authentic, interdisciplinary research experiences into the curriculum. The PI team members of this RCN-UBE network all have experience with the Build-a-Genome course and now plan to launch an undergraduate Build-a-Genome course at their own institutions and help other faculty to do the same by joining this new network. Build-a-Genome is an intensive laboratory course in which undergraduates participate in the Synthetic Yeast Project, a large-scale effort to construct the world's first synthetic eukaryotic genome. Along the way, students gain a comprehensive introduction to synthetic biology, learn basic molecular biology techniques and make important contributions to a cutting-edge research project.Intellectual Merit: This RCN-UBE network plans to organize a national workshop at Loyola University in Maryland to introduce participants to the Build-a-Genome course, teach gene synthesis methods, and bring together individuals to develop plans for implementing similar courses at their home institutions. The network leaders will then host a series of smaller regional Build-a-Genome/gene synthesis workshops at North Carolina A&T State University and Hartwick College, targeting faculty from regional colleges to promote synthetic biology, to make connections among local institutions, and to disseminate materials developed at the national workshop.Broader Impacts: The proposed network includes faculty from a range of institutional types (large research university, comprehensive university, and liberal arts college) and includes an HBCU and will expand to include a similar diversity of institutions. Build-a-Genome provides a truly unique, hands-on learning experience for undergraduates. Students take ownership of their projects, make important contributions to an ongoing research effort,and learn gene synthesis and molecular biology techniques while being introduced to the interdisciplinary field of synthetic biology. This project is funded jointly by the Directorate for Biological Sciences and the Directorate of Education and Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education in support of efforts to address the challenges posed in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Education: A Call to Action http://visionandchange.org/finalreport/