RCN-UBE: Engaging Educators in Developing and Using Molecular Case Studies at the Interface of Biology and Chemistry

探索蛋白质、DNA和RNA的三维形状和相互作用可以深入了解它们的生物学功能。通过可视化这些生物分子的原子结构，映射来自生物信息学资源的信息，并应用生物和化学知识，人们可以预测分子在不同条件下的行为，甚至设计具有独特性质和功能的新分子。向本科生介绍这种探索的一种方法是通过案例研究。作为该项目所依据的孵化器奖的一部分，开发了几个分子案例研究并进行了试点测试，可在Molecular CaseNet网站上查阅。这些案例帮助使用它们的生物学学生识别和讨论生物过程/细胞事件背后的化学相互作用，并帮助化学学生考虑化学反应的生物背景。该项目将通过培训本科教育工作者来开发和实施新的分子案例研究，探索结构与功能的关系，从而扩大这一收集。该RCN-UBE项目将专注于将Molecular CaseNet发展成为一个充满活力的教育工作者和学者社区。这一目标将通过招募和培训生物学和化学教师来实现，通过使用真实的分子结构研究数据，开放获取的生物学数据库和主流生物信息学工具，在生物学和化学的界面上开发和实施新的分子案例研究。www.ejacket.nsf.gov/ej/showReviewAnalysisList.do这样做将使教育工作者谁有有限的结构/功能的经验，以获得信心，在分子细节教学他们的学科内容。在项目期间进行的观察和测量将有助于揭示在入门课程中讨论原子水平上的生物/化学现象的挑战。他们将被用来评估教育者的知识，经验和信心，从实施的情况下产生的变化。反过来，这些见解将用于指导未来开发必要的支架，以探索分子结构和相关的生物信息学资源。该项目由生物科学理事会、生物基础设施司和教育和人力资源理事会共同资助，本科教育部作为他们努力解决的一部分，在“本科生物学教育的愿景和变化：行动呼吁”所提出的挑战（http：//visionandchange/finalreport）。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Exploring the three-dimensional shapes and interactions of proteins, DNA, and RNA can provide insights into their biological functions. By visualizing the atomic structures of these biomolecules, mapping information from bioinformatics resources on them, and applying biological and chemical knowledge, one can predict a molecule's behavior under different conditions and even design new molecules with unique properties and functions. One way to introduce undergraduate students to such explorations is through case studies. As part of the incubator award on which this project is based, several molecular case studies were developed and pilot tested and are available on the Molecular CaseNet website. These cases help the biology students who use them identify and discuss chemical interactions underlying biological processes/cellular events and help chemistry students consider the biological contexts of chemical reactions. This project will expand this collection by training groups of undergraduate educators to develop and implement new molecular case studies that explore structure-function relationships.This RCN-UBE project will focus on growing Molecular CaseNet into a vibrant community of educators and scholars. This objective will be accomplished by recruiting and training biology and chemistry faculty to develop and implement new molecular case studies at the interface of biology and chemistry by usinghttps://www.ejacket.nsf.gov/ej/showReviewAnalysisList.do authentic molecular structure research data, open access biological databases, and mainstream bioinformatics tools. Doing so will enable educators who have limited prior experience with structure/function to gain confidence in teaching their disciplinary content in molecular detail. Observations and measurements made during the project will help uncover challenges in discussing biological/chemical phenomenon at the atomic level in introductory courses. They will be used to assess changes in educator knowledge, experience, and confidence that result from implementing the cases. In turn, these insights will be used to guide future development of necessary scaffolds for exploring molecular structures and linked bioinformatics resources.This project is being jointly funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences, Division of Biological Infrastructure, and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education as part of their efforts to address the challenges posed in "Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action" (http://visionandchange/finalreport).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.