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

专业：生物科学（61）田纳西大学查塔努加分校正在通过开发分子生物学综合、协作和探究式课程来更新其生物学课程。智力优势：为了满足对分子和细胞生物学、遗传学、生物技术领域熟练生物学家日益增长的需求，由于工业界和学术界对人类和非人类基因组研究的兴趣增加而产生的分子医学和生物信息学，并解决生物学本科生教育的当前和未来需求，遗传学和分子生物学（MB）目前的课程正在加强和现代化。 在课程设计中引入的实践包括亲身接触生物技术中先进和广泛适用的台式技术，以及使用科学和文献数据库和分子生物学分析软件。引入的具体内容反映了戴维森学院基因组主动教学联盟（GCAT）最初为高级分子生物学课程开发的调查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，（2）获得基本和高级生物技术仪器。课程的扩展通过跨学科和跨学科的互动扩展了教师的发展和学生的成长，并影响了个别学生的研究项目。 修订后的分子生物学课程通过包括原核和真核系统的遗传操作和分子表征的经验，并结合旨在促进学生/教师在普通生物学，遗传学，微生物学，细胞生物学，生物化学和生物信息学方面的研究和开发的技术，具有广泛的应用。 制定的变化涉及教师从计算机科学和化学的跨学科课程，如生物信息学，在生物系和分子生物学技术和分析纳入课程和接受的课程，为其他部门内的主要发展部门。重点放在研究性学习练习上，包括科学经验的发展，并有机会进行数据分析、解释、书面表达和口头介绍结果。

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.