Undergraduate Coursework and Research Enhancement Using Molecular Techniques and Instrumentation

生物科学(61)智力优势：高年级课程改革通过将微生物学经验与生态学研究相结合，提高了学生对生物学概念的认识和理解。这些变化促进了对生态系统如何在多个层面上发挥作用的理解，以及所有生命组成部分以多种方式联系在一起。学生的学习能力主要在两个层面上进行评估：实验室技能和理解理论，以及他们合作的能力和作为互动研究团队成员的能力，使用批判性思维技能来指导他们在给定的实验情况下发现适当的方法。课程改进以使用16S核糖体RNA基因的分子微生物学实验室练习为特色，以表征和比较荆棘溪分水岭选定地点的细菌群落多样性。学生们分组调查他们从小溪沿岸几个化学和生物污染扰乱的地点选择的地点的细菌种群。在分子实验室的第一阶段，学生们分离群落DNA，提纯DNA，利用聚合酶链式反应(PCR)从该材料中扩增出特定的微生物基因，克隆这些基因序列，然后对DNA进行测序。在第二阶段，学生利用互联网上可用的系统发育分析来表征和比较序列数据，并将其提交给班级和学生研究论坛。在课程的时间段内，通过将培养测试包Enterotube II和Biolog引入学生实验室，整合侧重于生化测试的多个实验室，从而实现课程变更。荆棘溪流域的采样点包括目前用于植物、动物和微生物研究的几个研究地块。更广泛的影响：就读于草原州立大学这一社区学院的学生也参与了上述研究，从草原州立大学毕业后，他们可以继续在州长州立大学攻读理学学士学位，从而扩大了创新的范围，并在他们两年和四年的大学经历之间建立了一座桥梁。项目参与者出席州长州立大学学生年度研究研讨会或伊利诺伊州科学院年度会议。传播经验有助于学生了解长期研究项目，并将他们与涉及科学研究的职位的潜在就业联系起来。该项目由生物科学局微生物观测站和微生物相互作用和过程计划提供部分资金支持。

Biological Sciences (61)Intellectual merit: Upper division course changes are advancing students knowledge and understanding of biological concepts by integrating microbiology experiences with ecological research. These changes foster an understanding of how ecosystems function on many levels and that all living components are linked in a number of ways. Students are evaluated for their learning ability on two main levels; laboratory skills and understanding theory, and their ability to cooperate and function as a member of an interactive research team using critical thinking skills to guide them to discover the proper method to employ in a given experimental situation. The curriculum enhancements feature linked molecular microbiology laboratory exercises using 16S ribosomal RNA genes to characterize and compare bacterial community diversity from selected sites in the Thorn Creek watershed. Students work in groups to investigate the bacterial population in a site they choose from several chemical and biological contaminant perturbed sites along the creek. In the first phase of the molecular laboratory students isolate community DNA, purify the DNA, amplify specific microbial genes from this material using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), clone these gene sequences, and then sequence the DNA. In the second phase students characterize and compare the sequence data using phylogenetic analyses available on the Internet and present it to the class and student research forum. The curricular changes are possible within the time period of the course by consolidating multiple labs focusing on biochemical tests through the introduction of the culture-based test packages Enterotube II and Biolog to the student laboratory. The sampling sites in the Thorn Creek watershed include several research plots currently being used for plant, animal and microbial studies. Broader Impacts: Students attending Prairie State College, a community college, are also engaged in the research described and upon graduation from Prairie State can continue for a Bachelor of Science degree at Governors State thus expanding the reach of the innovations and creating a bridge between their two year and four year college experiences. Project participants present at the Governors State University Student Annual Research Symposium or The Illinois State Academy of Science annual meetings. The dissemination experience contributes to students understanding of long-term research projects and links them to potential employment in positions involving scientific research.This project is partially supported with funds from the Microbial Observatories and Microbial Interactions and Processes Program in the Directorate for Biological Sciences.