A modular laboratory course using planarians to study genes involved in tissue regeneration

Abstract

Undergraduate research experiences are excellent opportunities to engage students in science alongside experienced scientists, but at large institutions, it is challenging to accommodate all students. To address and engage a larger number of students, we developed a modular laboratory course based on the course-based undergraduate research experiences model. This new course was integrated with the scientific aims of a research laboratory studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying tissue regeneration in planarians. In this course, students were asked to identify genes with roles in planarian biology. Students analyzed and cloned an assigned gene, determined its expression pattern in situ and examined its function in regeneration. Additionally, we developed critical thinking and scientific communication skills by incorporating activities focused on critical concepts. Students obtained high quality primary data and were successful in completing and mastering the course learning outcomes. They benefitted by developing basic research skills, learning to perform, trouble-shooting experiments, reading and critically analyzing primary literature, and using the information to defend and explain their experimental results. Through this course, students also increased their confidence and ability to perform independent scientific research. The course was designed to make it accessible to the community to implement and adapt as appropriate in diverse institutions. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education Riboprobe Synthesis and Whole-Mount in situ HybridizationAntisense RNA probes were produced [23]. Briefly, DNA templates were PCR amplified from cDNA clones in pPR-T4P plasmid vectors. Antisense riboprobes labeled with digoxigenin were synthesized at 37 C. Probes were purified via ethanol precipitation and whole-mount in situ hybridization was performed manually [24] (see step by step protocol) with some modifications to fit the classroom settings. Planarians were sacrificed using a 5% N-acetyl cysteine solution prior to 548 An Undergraduate Laboratory Course Studying Planarian Regeneration

Knowledge-Map Analysis of Undergraduate Biochemistry Teaching Research: A Bibliometric Study from 2012 to 2021

“…CUREs usually feature hypothesis-driven exercises through which the students are required to discover unknown questions and answer the questions through collaboration in iterative investigation processes . Some published CURE examples are studying the functional consequences of gene mutations of tumor suppressor p53 in yeast, investigating the impact of mutations on enzyme kinetics of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B or lactate dehydrogenase, identifying an unknown glycoprotein from whole cell lysate, investigating bacterial cellobiose metabolism using multiple biochemical, molecular biological, and analytical techniques, using planarians to study genes involved in tissue regeneration, using NMR spectroscopy to study protein–protein interactions, and purifying and identifying an unknown lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme . Unlike apprenticeship research experiences conducted in a lab with limited participants, CUREs are designed for large classes as core learning activities that allow as many students as possible to be exposed to scientific research experiences .…”

Internet-connected cortical organoids for project-based stem cell and neuroscience education

“…Despite the high interest of students in the topic (Bajek and Drewa, 2011), classes that focus on stem cell use and applications are mostly theoretical (Pierret and Friedrichsen, 2009;Ferreira et al, 2019;W Sandoval et al, 2022;Perlin et al, 2023). Courses with a lab component usually take advantage of invertebrate organisms such as planaria worms (Accorsi et al, 2017;Ochoa et al, 2019) or hydra (Larouche et al, 2020). On the other hand, courses that integrate mammalian stem cell culture are limited to elementary models such as culture and rapid differentiation of primary multipotent stem cells derived from the bone marrow of rodents (Jin et al, 2018), not PSC-derived models such as complex tissues and organoids.…”