This paper describes a teaching experiment in a Numerical Methods course for Master of Science students. The experiment uses scientific papers to develop modelling studies in the context of wine fermentation microbial interactions. The course involves theoretical and laboratory classes that focus on implementing numerical methods using Matlab for…

Chemistry experiments involving biological aspects are in high demand. This laboratory exercise blends biochemistry and physical chemistry, illustrates key concepts of the virus capsid surface, and is designed for a chemistry laboratory course for students majoring in biology in college. The experimental part provides a mastery of…

Previous studies have reported dysbiosis in the gut microbiota (GM) of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which may be a determining factor on child development through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. However, it is not clear if there is a specific group of dysbiotic bacteria in ASD. The aim of this study was to carry out a…

Perturbation of gene expression using RNA interference (RNAi) or CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) is a useful strategy to explore the function of essential genes. In the archaeon "Haloferax volcanii," the CRISPR-Cas system has been adapted as a CRISPRi tool to silence the expression of specific genes. We developed a laboratory class (LC) to…

In response to the shifting modalities of laboratory-based education, particularly amidst the rise of virtual and at-home instruction, we introduce a novel hybrid laboratory module for undergraduate biochemistry and biology courses. Central to this innovative approach is the use of sourdough as a versatile and accessible model organism, enabling a…

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…

Although many laboratory experiments are available to illustrate spectrophotometric or fluorometric methods, few of them introduce the use of luminometry to students. Bioluminescence, a subtype of chemiluminescence, is produced when an enzyme-catalyzed chemical reaction gives rise to light emission. Despite the advantages of bioluminescent…

Regulation is a key concept for understanding the dynamics of metabolism in bacteria. This report outlines a simple laboratory experiment aimed at studying a key form of regulation in bacterial metabolism, exemplifying how microbes switch the flux of carbon towards alternative metabolic fates as a function of nutrient availability and according to…

We present a course-embedded undergraduate research module that involves real-time polymerase chain reaction testing for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in environmental samples. A positive control RNA was constructed and two RNA extraction methods were compared and a range of primers were available to compare. Using a combination of published…

Laboratory-based "practical" classes are an essential component in teaching molecular biology for undergraduate students. Universidad Regional Amazonica Ikiam is a higher education institution located in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, a high biodiversity place, including amphibians. Based on this, we have established a practical…

This study explored the relationships between English language proficiency and performance in online, asynchronous science courses. Each participant completed a Language Background Questionnaire (LBQ) to indicate if English was not their native language, thus categorizing them as an English Language Learner (ELL). The Combined English Language…

A biochemistry class was transformed to implement student-centered, active-learning pedagogies to help improve competencies associated with the scientific method. In responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the course content switched from the biochemistry of nucleic acids to the science of the newly discovered virus, SARS-CoV-2. This provided a…

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) incorporate research opportunities into the existing curriculum often by providing alternatives or replacing the traditional cookbook-based laboratory courses. Over the past 50 years, CURE courses have been shown to benefit both students and faculty members alike. Despite the large number of…

Adult learning involves the analysis and synthesis of knowledge to become competent, which cannot be assessed only by traditional assessment tool and didactic learning methods. Stimulation of higher domains of cognitive learning needs to be inculcated to reach a better understanding of the subject rather than traditional assessment tools that…

In this work, we present the results of an undergrad student from the perspective of its first approach as a principal researcher in a project. In order to gain practical experience, one of the options for students that have interest in pursuing a postgraduate program corresponds to a research stay in a laboratory of their selected field…