This randomized controlled trial assessed the comparative effectiveness of a biochemistry education program delivered through an immersive virtual reality (iVR) experience and traditional video-based instruction. Undergraduate students enrolled in three nutrition courses from a large R1 American university participated (n = 95). Students were…

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has modified teaching and learning throughout the world. The developments in Information Communication Technology tools have played a critical role in the education community. During the pandemic, the organization and conduction of theory classes in Universities across India were managed reasonably on one side, but the…

Biochemistry and molecular biology students are asked to understand and analyze the structures of small molecules and complex three-dimensional (3D) macromolecules. However, most tools to help students learn molecular visualization skills are limited to two-dimensional (2D) images on screens and in textbooks. The virtual reality (VR) App Nanome,…

The teaching of laboratory skills to undergraduate students is central to all experimental sciences. In this setting, students must understand the experimental procedures as well as the fundamental principle(s) being demonstrated, all while learning within a limited time. Other limiting factors include access to equipment and reagents, resulting…

The pandemic caused major shifts in the delivery of education worldwide. In the teaching of medical biochemistry, the greatest impact was towards the delivery of traditional laboratory simulations. In this study, we highlight the benefits and barriers encountered in the use of virtual laboratories (vLABs) to substitute traditional laboratory…

In recent years, development of new technologies designed to enhance user experience have accelerated, often being used in modern media such as in films and games. Specifically, immersive experiences, such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), have redefined how digital media can be delivered, encouraging us to interact with and…

After the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increasing demand for remote learning and an expansion in the substitution of traditional practical sessions with lab-based virtual tools. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of virtual labs in practicing biochemical experiments and to examine the student's feedback regarding this tool. Virtual…

Virtual laboratories have started to be the leading alternative teaching tools during the COVID-19 pandemic process. The "Acid-Base" subject is among those that form the foundations of biochemistry. Students can learn the "Acid-Base" subject in a secure environment, with remote access through the use of virtual laboratory…

Biology and biochemistry students must learn to visualize and comprehend the complex three-dimensional (3D) structures of macromolecules such as proteins or DNA. However, most tools available for teaching biomolecular structures typically operate in two dimensions. Here, we present protocols and pedagogical approaches for using immersive augmented…

The reemergence of virtual reality (VR) in the past few years has led to affordable, high-quality commodity hardware that can offer new ways to teach, communicate, and engage with complex concepts. In a higher-education context, these immersive technologies make it possible to teach complex molecular topics in a way that may aid or even supersede…

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) simulations for education have been found to increase affective outcomes compared to traditional media, but the effects on learning are mixed. As reflection has previously shown to enhance learning in traditional media, we investigated the efficacy of appropriate reflection exercises for IVR. In a 2 × 2…

Drug design and development requires collaboration among scientists with diverse expertise. In early-stage drug design, establishment of promising drug candidates requires integration of structure-based molecular design with biopharmaceutics and ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) principles. Much of this work is…

The commercialization of virtual reality (VR) hardware has enabled the use of VR as an educational tool. We describe how a VR platform was used to create molecular visualizations using standard PDB files with the purpose of delivering biochemistry and cellular biology lessons for undergraduates. Specifically, we describe two new software modules,…

The COVID-19 outbreak has altered chemistry laboratory instruction and forced us to reconsider the balance between face-to-face and online teaching. Our students preferred face-to-face teaching (score 4.1/5 on a Likert-like scale) to virtual laboratory exercises (3.4/5) despite the fact that their performance score was actually lower in…

The purpose of this quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest posttest control group research was to determine whether or not the use of a collaborative pH computer simulation has an impact on the knowledge, confidence, and conceptual understanding of fundamental pH concepts for undergraduate Chemistry II students. A purposeful sample of 59…