The EdvoReader: Developing a Quantitative PCR and Colorimetry Instrument for Laboratory Skills Training

EdvoReader：开发用于实验室技能培训的定量 PCR 和比色仪

• 批准号: 10760647
• 负责人: Brian Ell
• 金额: $ 96.62万
• 依托单位: EDVOTEK, INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-06-01 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10760647
• 关键词: Address; Awareness; Biochemistry; Biological; Biological Assay; Biological Sciences; Biology; Biotechnology; Career Exploration; Collection; Colorimetry; Communities; Complement; Data; Data Analyses; Data Collection; Data Display; Dedications; Detection; Development; Device Designs; Disease; Education; Educational Curriculum; Educational process of instructing; Enterococcus; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Protection; Environmental Science; Equipment; Face; Focus Groups; Funding; Goals; Health protection; Heavy Metals; High School Student; Human; Intuition; Laboratories; Learning; Length; Libraries; Life; Mathematics; Measurement; Modeling; Modernization; Optics; Pathway interactions; Phase; Play; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Preparation; Printing; Protocols documentation; Regulation; Research; Research Design; Resources; STEM career; Sampling; Science; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education; Series; Small Business Innovation Research Grant; Students; Surveys; System; Techniques; Technology; Testing; Time; Training; United States Environmental Protection Agency; career; career awareness; career development; citizen science; commercialization; community science; cost; data sharing; design; detection assay; detection platform; education resources; educational atmosphere; experimental study; high school; improved; instructor; instrument; laboratory curriculum; materials science; mathematical analysis; operation; prototype; recruit; science teacher; simulation; skills; skills training; statistics; success; teaching laboratory; touchscreen; undergraduate student; user-friendly; water quality

Project Summary: The field of quantitative biology involves using mathematics, statistics, and modeling to analyze the results of biological experiments. Students at the high school and undergraduate levels can develop these skills through a comprehensive STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education. These analytical skills are crucial for success in many careers, including those in science, and for making informed decisions in daily life. However, despite the importance of this training, and the significant funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education, biological science teachers often struggle to incorporate quantitative analysis into their curricula. This is often due to a lack of resources, equipment, expertise, and time. This proposal aims to address these challenges by creating equipment, experiments, and comprehensive resources that can be used to bring quantitative analysis into teaching laboratories. One barrier to incorporating quantitative analysis in teaching laboratories is that the necessary equipment is designed for research use; it is too expensive, bulky, fragile, and complicated for use in an educational environment. To address this problem, we will continue to develop the EdvoReader, a simple, integrated device designed for students to perform inquiry-based quantitative biology experiments in the lab. In Phase I, we developed a thermal cycler with a precision optical detection system that is capable of both colorimetry and real-time PCR analysis. In Phase II, we will refine the EdvoReader’s optical system and focus on the development of a touch screen interface that creates a faster and easier workflow and directs users through setup, operation, and data analysis. By building this instrument from the ground up, the EdvoReader can incorporate the features most important to educators while minimizing costs. To complement the EdvoReader, we will develop a series of inquiry-based experiments for the educational laboratory. One set of experiments focuses on the basics of environmental monitoring, focusing on water quality testing. A second set of experiments integrates quantitative biology into experiments commonly performed in biology, biochemistry, environmental science, and biotechnology classes. To complement the hands-on experiments, we will create an extensive training library, including how-to videos, interactive simulations, and materials for STEM career exploration. An assessment team has been recruited to evaluate the EdvoReader and associated experiments for its effects on STEM identity and for the development of quantitative skills in high school students. By combining a low cost, user-friendly instrument with dedicated experiments, the EdvoReader platform will provide educators with an inexpensive and accessible pathway to teach quantitative biotechnology. In turn, students will gain valuable hands-on training and an understanding of STEM analysis that will be critical for career development.

项目概要： 定量生物学领域涉及使用数学，统计学和建模来分析结果， 生物实验。高中和本科阶段的学生可以通过以下方式培养这些技能： 全面的STEM（科学，技术，工程和数学）教育。这些分析技能是 这对许多职业的成功至关重要，包括科学领域的职业，以及在日常生活中做出明智的决定。 然而，尽管这项培训很重要，而且美国国务院提供了大量资金， 在教育领域，生物科学教师经常努力将定量分析纳入他们的课程。 这通常是由于缺乏资源、设备、专业知识和时间。该提案旨在解决这些问题 通过创建设备，实验和综合资源，可用于带来挑战， 教学实验室的定量分析。 将定量分析纳入教学实验室的一个障碍是， 设计用于研究用途;它太昂贵，笨重，易碎，复杂，用于教育 环境为了解决这个问题，我们将继续开发EdvoReader，一种简单的集成设备 专为学生在实验室中进行基于探究的定量生物学实验而设计。在第一阶段，我们 开发了一种具有精密光学检测系统的热循环仪，该系统能够进行比色和 实时PCR分析。在第二阶段，我们将改进EdvoReader的光学系统并专注于 开发一个触摸屏界面，创建一个更快，更容易的工作流程，并指导用户通过 设置、操作和数据分析。通过从头开始构建该仪器，EdvoReader可以 在最大限度地降低成本的同时，整合了对教育工作者最重要的功能。 为了补充EdvoReader，我们将开发一系列基于探究的教育实验， 实验室一组实验重点关注环境监测的基础知识，重点关注水 质量检测第二组实验通常将定量生物学整合到实验中， 在生物学、生物化学、环境科学和生物技术课上进行。以补充 动手实验，我们将创建一个广泛的培训库，包括如何视频，互动 模拟和STEM职业探索的材料。已征聘一个评估小组， EdvoReader及其相关实验对STEM身份的影响以及 高中生的量化技能。通过将低成本、用户友好的仪器与专用 实验，EdvoReader平台将为教育工作者提供一个廉价和可访问的途径， 教授定量生物技术。反过来，学生将获得宝贵的实践培训和了解 STEM分析对职业发展至关重要。