We created a novel laboratory experience where undergraduate students explore the techniques used to study protein misfolding, unfolding, and aggregation. Despite the importance of protein misfolding and aggregation diseases, protein unfolding is not typically explored in undergraduate biochemistry laboratory classes. Yeast alcohol dehydrogenase…

Green fluorescent protein has long been a favorite protein for demonstrating protein purification in the biochemistry lab course. The protein's vivid green color helps demonstrate to students the concept(s) behind affinity or ion exchange chromatography. We designed a series of introduction to biochemistry labs utilizing a thermostable green…

Here, we propose a laboratory exercise to quickly determine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in human "alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B)" and "aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2)" genes involved in alcohol metabolism. In this exercise, two different genotyping methods based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), namely…

This article aims to simplify and facilitate the process of practical teaching of enzyme kinetics by utilizing minimal teaching laboratory requirements. Simultaneously, it ensures that students comprehend the enzyme kinetics experiment effectively. The focus is on teaching students how to estimate the maximum velocity (Vmax) and Michaelis constant…

This article details the outcome of a joint reflective approach undertaken by the authors to identify common difficulties experienced by 2nd-year undergraduate Biochemistry students in laboratory classes. Difficulties experienced in laboratories can affect the development of hand skills, an understanding of how to correctly operate laboratory…

Many undergraduate chemistry and biochemistry students pursue careers in healthcare. Biomaterials, designed to harmonize with the complexity of the human body, have become increasingly significant in medicine as implants, drug delivery vehicles and tissue scaffolds. We believe it is essential that undergraduates are exposed to biomaterial…

Determination of enzyme activity is crucial for discovery, research, and development in life sciences. The activity of enzymes is routinely determined using spectrophotometric assays that measure rates of substrate consumption or product formation. Though colorimetric-based detection systems are simple, rapid, and economical to perform, the…

In this article, we describe curricular materials developed to engage undergraduate students in evolutionary thinking around antibiotic resistance using the MEGA-plate experiment (Microbial Evolution and Growth Arena). This elegant and visual experiment, developed by the Kishony Lab, shows the development of antibiotic resistance on the timescale…

An experiment for the upper-level biochemistry laboratory is described in which students isolate a wild yeast from environmental sources and characterize the strain for its potential in the brewing industry. In addition to providing valuable experience in important biochemical techniques, this study also illustrates key principles of…

Using crystal structure data, site directed mutagenesis, and real-time kinetic assays, students designed, expressed, and purified engineered mutants of human insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE). Students designed their own IDE mutants following "in silico" analysis, used inverse PCR to generate mutant plasmid expression constructs, expressed…

Investigating and understanding novel antibacterial agents is a necessary task as there is a constant increase in the number of multidrug-resistant bacterial species. The use of nanotechnology to combat drug-resistant bacteria is an important research area. The laboratory experiment described herein demonstrates that changes in the nanostructure…

As a universal and extensively adopted technique, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) can be used to detect and quantify small molecules in many applications both clinical and analytical. However, generally, students experiment mechanically using commercial ELISA kits according to the instructions and eventually produce a standard curve to…

Student ethnicity is one of the internal factors that influence student learning. Bacteriology is a course that examines prokaryotic unicellular living things and is practiced in laboratories that need to implement projects. The aim of this research is to know the distribution of students based on their ethnicity. The research sample was students…

This report describes a laboratory experiment for an undergraduate-level inorganic chemistry or biochemistry course involving the study of the kinetics of the catecholase activity of a synthetic nickel­(II)-oximate complex. A model substrate, 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol(DBC), undergoes aerobic oxidation to 3,5-di-tert-butylbenzoquinone (DBQ) in the…

Designing a relevant and engaging curriculum for biochemistry undergraduates can be challenging for topics which are at the periphery of the subject. We have used the framework of context-based learning as a means of assessing understanding of quantum theory in a group of students in their junior year. Our context, the role of retinol in skincare,…