The use of the thermodynamic formalism in the investigation of biochemical reactions constitutes one of the key analysis in bioenergetics, and the first step in such analysis is the selection of the adequate reference state. For biochemistry majors, thermodynamic analysis based on the chemical reference state is used in Physical Chemistry courses,…

Previously most studies indicated that high intensity training is a powerful stimulus to acute increases in blood testosterone hormone levels in males. The testosterone responses to exercise in females are controversial; while some studies have shown increases, others have suggested no change. The aim of this study was to determine alterations in…

Biochemistry is about structure and function, but it is also about data and this is where computers come in. From my time as a graduate student and post doc, whenever I encountered data I thought, "I can work this up by hand, but I think a computer could do a better job." Since that time, I have been working at the interface of…

The following story tells the details of the ketone body metabolism, focusing on the needs of the brain in prolonged fasting conditions. This literary composition highlights the use of ketone bodies as an important metabolic adaptation that avoids excessive protein degradation and allows for greater survival. The liver produces ketone bodies that…

In this article, we describe an in-house polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific priming (PCR-SSP) assay designed for undergraduate medical students as part of the experimental pathogen biology and immunology (EPBI) course. It screens human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR2 allotype from genomic DNA samples using a rapid and single-tube PCR…

The authentic teaching and learning approach introduces real-world scenarios into the classroom to better engage Generation Z students. Considering this, we introduced an authentic learning practical exercise (breakfast meal and glycemic variation) to undergraduate biology students at the University of La Reunion (France). Here, students were…

Coagulation is an important process in the context of water purification; and the seed protein of the moringa tree ("Moringa oleifera") is a remarkably effective coagulant. The laboratory course described here is designed to provide high-school students with a stepwise, hands-on experience in investigating the protein-rich coagulant…

Undergraduate courses such as biochemistry were prompted to embrace online distance learning triggered by the incursion of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study worked to help solve the issues and concerns related to teaching biochemistry as a foundational course for dental and other health-sciences programs in the status of the educational system.…

Creative thinking skills are recognised 21 century skills. This study aimed to determine whether students' creative thinking skills in biochemistry courses are improved through scaffolding-based problem-based learning. The study employed a mixed methods approach with a sample of 113 chemistry education programme students at Jambi University. An…

Academic food security aims to provide students with sufficient access to knowledge (one key academic nutrient) in order to limit intellectual hunger. In this analogy, the student is seen as a consumer of knowledge. Academic food sovereignty, on the other hand, aims to shift the focus from student knowledge consumership to student knowledge…

Protein structure and function are important concepts in the biochemistry curriculum. A three-part CURE was developed to be used in an undergraduate biochemistry course that enhances student learning of these aspects in addition to practicing oral and written communication skills. Students used three protein-protein docking programs (PRISM,…

Commonly used traditional didactic lecture in biochemistry being non-interactive has several disadvantages which students find boring and difficult to retain. This study reviews the potential of role play to teach biochemistry effectively. Studies published till June 2024 on the topic role play in medical education and biochemistry were searched…

Here we describe an approach and overall concept of how to train undergraduate university students to understand basic regulation and integration of glucose and fatty acid metabolism in response to fasting, intake of carbohydrates, and aerobic exercise. During lectures and both theoretical and practical sessions, the students read, analyze, and…

Despite being a traditional coursework for pre-medical and medical students around the globe, biochemistry education suffers from a lack of positive appreciation due to the nature of the subject combined with deficiency of teaching modalities. A first semester biochemistry course was designed to include four different teaching modalities:…

Sensory reading refers to reading that engages all six of the human senses - vison, hearing, touch, gustation, olfaction and proprioception. The author proposes that increased attention be paid to the three 'hidden' senses of gustation, olfaction and proprioception to advance innovative reading studies. She articulates the problematic of visually…