The novelty of the COVID-19 disease has paved the way to numerous scientific studies that aim to further understand its biology, and to different strategies that disseminate this information to promote public awareness. One of the strategies that the academe can employ is the inclusion of COVID-19 as a topic in a basic biotechnology course. This…

The lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) is a simple and cost-effective rapid diagnostic test designed for the on-site detection of disease biomarkers. In the context of introducing this technique to undergraduate biotechnology students, we propose a comprehensive 5 h laboratory experiment. This experiment covers various aspects, including the…

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic brought about several challenges in both learning and instructive styles. Chief among these was engagement in classrooms that were remote, in-person or switched between the two due to quarantine periods. In a content centric biomaterials core course, here we describe an 'inclusive engagement toolkit' that combines…

While science students are well prepared for careers in biotechnology and pharmaceutical sciences in terms of technical expertise and critical thinking, they rarely have an opportunity to practice the due diligence required for success in industry in their coursework. This includes framing their expertise as solutions to challenges a company may…

Among the developing countries, India is one of those that recognises the importance of biotechnology. The trajectory of different policies being formulated over time is proof that the government is progressing towards achieving self-sufficiency. However, to cater to the ever-growing biotech industry, skilled manpower is required. This article…

We present a practical activity focusing on two main goals: to give learners the opportunity to experience how the scientific method works and to increase their knowledge about enzymes in everyday situations. The exercise consists of determining the amylase activity of commercial detergents. The methodology is based on a qualitative assay using a…

This paper is a commentary to a paper by Anne Solli, Frank Bach and Björn Åkerman on how students at a technical university learn to argue as biotechnologists. Solli and her colleagues report from an ethnographic study performed during the first semester of a 5-year program in biotechnology at a technical university in Sweden. Their study…

Teaching and learning in the information age can be stressful. It seems only yesterday teachers were trying to imagine what the information age would be like. Now their brains are bombarded by billions of words every time they perform a "Google Search." There is a calm to the chaos when teachers focus on the foundation of their profession. Their…

Protein engineering is a powerful tool, which correlates protein structure with specific functions, both in applied biotechnology and in basic research. Here, we present a practical teaching course for engineering the green fluorescent protein (GFP) from "Aequorea victoria" by a random mutagenesis strategy using error-prone polymerase…

The use of marginal land (ML) for lignocellulosic biofuel production is examined for system stability, resilience, and eco-social sustainability. A North American prairie grass system and its industrialization for maximum biomass production using biotechnology and agro-technical inputs is the focus of the analysis. Demographic models of ML biomass…

The state of education in the United States, particularly in the areas of science, mathematics and technology, has been a consistent source of concern since at least the early 1980s when student performance on the 1986 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) revealed that science proficiency was lower than comparable measures from the…

Molecular life science is one of the fastest-growing fields of scientific and technical innovation, and biotechnology has profound effects on many aspects of daily life--often with deep, ethical dimensions. At the same time, the content is inherently complex, highly abstract, and deeply rooted in diverse disciplines ranging from "pure…

Globally, science curricula have been described as outdated, and students perceive school science as lacking in relevance. Declines in senior secondary and tertiary student participation in science indicate an urgent need for change if we are to sustain future scientific research and development, and perhaps more importantly, to equip students…

Stockholm House of Science, focusing on astronomy, biotechnology and physics for students and teachers at school, is based on the proven concept of Stockholm Science Laboratory, which was mainly devoted to physics. The House of Science has become a popular and important resource and meeting place for teachers and students, stimulating interest in…

Our project was to provide a community college undergraduate an authentic research opportunity in a science discipline. To do this, students who have completed a two-semester sequence in chemistry or physics were recruited to investigate the technical aspects of producing economically viable bio-diesel fuel from donated discarded restaurant…