Learning about electrochemical protein science and technology
is
useful due to its importance in society, for example, in widely used
glucose biosensors. The aim of the experiment presented here is to
provide third-year undergraduate chemistry students with an introduction
to the electrochemistry of cytochrome c as a first
step in bioelectrochemistry. The experiment was designed with the
learning outcomes of the Curtin University unit Bioanalytical and
Biophysical Chemistry in mind. The effectiveness of this experiment
was measured via a modified version of the Advancing Science by Enhancing
Learning in the Laboratory (ASELL) Students Laboratory Experience
(ASLE) survey. Comparisons of the students’ experimental data
to model data were employed, as well as an analysis of the ability
of students to use and learn with a portable potentiostat and its
relevant software. In the survey results, 69% of students agreed/strongly
agreed with the statement “I found this to be an interesting
experiment”, and the remaining students (31%) responded “neutral”,
indicating an overall positive student experience. The student responses
to the main goals of this experiment (i.e., development of laboratory
skills, increasing understanding of electrochemistry, and development
of data interpretation skills) were very favorable (positive responses
were garnered from 92%, 84%, and 85% of students for each respective
goal). The results show that this experiment on the electrochemistry
of cytochrome c provides a basis for introducing
new experimental methods and skills to undergraduate chemistry students.