A Review of Biochemistry Education Research

Abstract

Reports of the results of research within the emerging field of biochemistry education are appearing at an ever-increasing rate. Capturing an image of the landscape of Biochemistry Education Research (BCER) is complicated, however, by the interdisciplinary nature of biochemistry courses that may be taught at different levels and in different departments, even at the same institution. To develop a model that provides a sense of what research has been done, so far, we have investigated the literature on biochemistry education research within the contexts of the traditional biochemistry lecture and laboratory environments as well as courses taught within the health sciences, medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, and molecular biology, as well as courses that combine biochemistry with other topics in chemistry, such as general chemistry and organic chemistry. We found that existing BCER has focused primarily on the lecture/classroom environment. Only about one-fourth of the BCER literature has been based on research in the laboratory setting. We also noted that the primary focus of research done so far has been on the structure/function properties of proteins. The goal of this review was a holistic understanding of the results of BCER that could be used by instructors to shape classroom practice as well as to provide BCER practitioners with an idea of the gaps in the existing literature that could be filled by future research. To transform the results of our analysis into a publishable form, we have used a format in which brief summaries of the topics of the BCER papers are presented.

Inhibition of Lipase by Orlistat: Kinetics Combined with In Silico Approaches to Visualize Interactions

“…Currently, there are numerous in silico methods applicable to educational purposes. These methods have been previously explored and have proven to be useful in different fields of biochemical pedagogy, along with the use of technological approaches, such as simulation, visualization, and online tools, among others. , …”

“…These methods have been previously explored and have proven to be useful in different fields of biochemical pedagogy, along with the use of technological approaches, such as simulation, visualization, and online tools, among others. 11,12 Received: September 9, 2020 Revised: February 18, 2021 Published: March 3, 2021 In the present work, we describe an alternative application for lipase inhibition by orlistat that aims to (i) promote student capacity to correlate experimental and computational data, (ii) train the student in the use of databases and the use of online software, and (iii) analyze ligand−protein interactions using an easy visualization of molecular docking results. These objectives give students the opportunity to enhance their understanding of enzyme kinetics, computational docking, kinetic methods (e.g., Michaelis−Menten, Lineweaver−Burk, and Dixon plots), and sequence analysis.…”

Potential for Chemistry in Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary, and Transdisciplinary Teaching Activities in Higher Education

“…The success of chemistry as a lens to understand the natural world has resulted in it being subsumed into a variety of biological subjects. Molecular biology, biochemistry, , and pharmacology and pharmacy − in particular draw heavily from chemistry but have long since moved to being independent disciplines in their own right. Their emphasis on observing biological processes as systems makes teaching every aspect from a detailed chemical viewpoint impractical.…”

Using e‐notebooks to explore biochemistry with an agricultural lens

“…2 Biochemistry education is about as dynamic a venture as the discipline itself. 3 Despite the breadth of biochemistry, several alternatives exist for engaging students in this subject through distance learning. Agriculture is considered the first form of "science" to have ever developed, and is integral to the continued development of biochemistry.…”

“…Biochemistry education is about as dynamic a venture as the discipline itself 3 . Despite the breadth of biochemistry, several alternatives exist for engaging students in this subject through distance learning.…”