Human history is replete with pandemics caused by virulent diseases that have produced overwhelming suffering and death. Our future will require swift, sensible, and near-universal vaccine response as viruses evolve and thrive. When viruses like COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 emerge and mutate, vaccine researchers must be nimble and responsive to quickly…

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of students regarding the use of antibiotics in Punjab, Pakistan. Participants: 525 medical and non-medical students from Punjab in Pakistan. Methods: The t-test and ANOVA were used to compare the average response of respondents. Chi-square test was used to…

With the global increase of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, there is an urgent need for new methods of tackling the issue. Genomic analysis of bacterial strains can help to understand their virulence and antibiotic resistance profile. Bioinformatic skills are in great demand across the biological sciences. We designed…

In this study we designed, implemented, and evaluated a Problem-based Learning (PBL) course to teach undergraduate students about Viral Hepatitis from a Health Geography perspective. The course was attended by undergraduate students with no previous experience with PBL from a college in the Brazilian Amazon state of Acre. The course design was…

A main goal of academic courses is to help students acquire knowledge and skills that they can transfer to multiple contexts. In this article, we (i) examine students' responses to test question templates (TQTs), a framework intended to facilitate transfer, and (ii) determine whether similar transfer-promoting strategies are commonly embedded in…

Undergraduate research experiences are key to preparing STEM students for a range of careers and graduate programs, and to impacting retention in STEM. Providing undergraduate research experiences can be challenging for institutions due to the high cost associated with equipment and reagents, lab space, and research mentors. In this study, we…

We designed a microbial science popularization product based on virtual reality technology, "Micro World -- Exploring the Microbial Kingdom," and conducted usability tests. Participants used head-mounted VR glasses to experience virtual scenarios teaching microbiological knowledge. The product's user experience was evaluated through a…

Interest affects learning; it also affects students' attitude towards science and career choices. It is therefore urgent to increase students' interest and improve their attitude towards science to face the complex challenges of the future. This study transformed cutting-edge induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) research into an informal science…

Curricular guidelines promote standardized approaches to coverage of essential knowledge and skills in undergraduate education. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Microbiology were developed in 2012. Continuous, rapid growth of knowledge in science and a dynamic, changing world necessitate updates…

Local problems in the surrounding environment can be developed in school learning according to independent curriculum policies so that students are responsive and can play an active role in solving problems, such as those related to viruses and their role. This study aims to determine the symptoms of viral infections in various food and…

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…

This article examines tensions that professionals in healthcare settings in low-to-middle income countries (LMICs) face in the evolving field around surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Few public health problems are of greater global importance today than AMR, that poses a threat to our ability to treat infections. In this context, the…

Students possess informal, intuitive ways of reasoning about the world, including biological phenomena. Although useful in some cases, intuitive reasoning can also lead to the development of scientifically inaccurate ideas that conflict with central concepts taught in formal biology education settings, including evolution. Using antibiotic…

Interest in virtual laboratory simulations as a pedagogical tool continues to grow, given the advantages of flexibility, scalability, technology integration, and interactive visualizations. We developed a laboratory model that integrates virtual lab simulations (VLS) and traditional in-person (IP) lab experiences for targeted skill development. In…