Research-based learning in a teaching environment is an effective way to help bring the excitement and experience of independent bench research to a large number of students. The program described here is the second of a two-semester biochemistry laboratory series. Here, students are empowered to design, execute and analyze their own experiments for the entire semester. This style of laboratory replaces a variety of shorter labs in favor of an in depth research-based learning experience. The concept is to allow students to function in independent research groups. The research projects are focused on a series of wild-type and mutant clones of malate dehydrogenase. A common research theme for the laboratory helps instructors administer the course and is key to delivering a research opportunity to a large number of students. The outcome of this research-based learning laboratory results in students who are much more confident and skilled in critical areas in biochemistry and molecular biology. Students with research experience have significantly higher confidence and motivation than those students without a previous research experience. We have also found that all students performed better in advanced courses and in the workplace.

A successful laboratory experience provides the foundation for student success, creating active participation in the learning process. Here, we describe a new approach that emphasizes research, inquiry and problem solving in a year-long biochemistry experience. The first semester centers on the purification, characterization, and analysis of a novel fusion protein within a guided research experience. Throughout the semester, students gradually acquire skills as they are allowed to work independently. A fusion protein, malate dehydrogenase-green fluorescent protein with a histidine affinity tag (MGH), is used throughout the semester. The fusion protein allows for a high throughput analysis and is stable for duration of the semester. Students start with the purification and analysis of the plasmid DNA and end with an enzymatic analysis of MGH. As students take ownership of their experiments and choose two different chromatographic resins, they make many choices throughout the semester. Skills, motivation, confidence levels, and attitudes were assessed before and after the semester. Students achieved high levels of critical biochemical laboratory skills and critical thinking while increasing their confidence and motivation for working in a biochemical research setting.

Successful student learning is achieved when learners are involved in inquiry‐based activities. Training new scientists requires a strong emphasis on creating a student‐learning environment and focuses on research‐based exercises. This project integrates research‐based teaching into two semesters of biochemistry laboratories. The first semester focuses on using a single protein in the context of a semester‐long research project to drive student learning. In this semester, students will begin to make their own decisions and design their own experiments. In the second semester students are empowered to design, execute and analyze their experiments. Here students are allowed much more freedom to conduct research in a controlled setting. The concept is to allow each group to work as independent research groups all working on a similar set of genes or proteins. Much of the skills gained in the first semester are directly applied in the second semester. This style of laboratory replaces a variety of shorter labs in favor of an in‐depth research experience. The outcome of this style of research‐oriented laboratory is a student that is much more confident and skilled in critical areas in biochemistry and molecular biology. We have also found that students without research experience prior to the laboratory perform better in advanced courses and in the workplace. This work was funded by NSF CCLI DUE 0511629