Augmenting Student Research in Developmental Biology at Earlham College

生物系致力于在整个课程中融入科学探究。这个项目以发育生物学课程为目标，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和扫描电子显微镜技术来研究果蝇的胚胎发生。这些项目平行并延伸了课程中提供的卵裂和原肠形成的例子。它们还巩固了对后续轴和图案形成的理解。具体地说，学生使用明场、差分干涉对比(DIC)和相位对比技术观察卵裂和原肠分裂事件。早期发育事件也用视频显微镜记录下来。在以探究为基础的实验部分，学生们分组工作，要么使用荧光标记研究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育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、对细节的关注和创造性的解决问题。在之前的《发育生物学》中，使用扫描电子显微镜和荧光标记对细胞核和肌动蛋白细丝进行的初步研究取得了成功。该项目中使用的新设备可能会扩展当前的显微能力，包括DIC和视频记录，并显著增强学生在相衬、荧光和扫描电子显微镜研究方面的能力。这种设备是巩固和扩大所述调查项目所必需的。由于在当代发育生物学实验室手册中很少描述基于探究的练习，这组项目对本科生的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计划。

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.