Yeast and Oxygen: Incorporating Functional Genomics Research into Three Integrated Undergraduate Laboratory Classes

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Yeast and Oxygen Incorporating Functional
Genomics Research into Three Integrated
Undergraduate Laboratory Classes
Clare OConnor Biology Department Boston College
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The science Yeast and oxygen
ROS

• Yeast are an excellent choice for undergraduate
  experiments
• rapid growth, simple culture and storage
  requirements
• wealth of information and resources available

• Oxidative damage is important and interesting to
  students
• students are aware of positive effects of
  antioxidants
• implications for human disease
• connections to chemistry

Year 3 Focus on yeast methionine sulfoxide
reductases
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Orthologs of putative yeast Msrs are structurally
divergent enzymes with related functions High-thro
ughput studies show different sets of interactors
YER042W is considered by SGD to be functionally
characterized YCL033C is an uncharacterized ORF
with putative Msr function YKL069W is listed as
an ORF with unknown function
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Course goals Students will learn to construct
scientific hypotheses based on existing
knowledge.
Students will design experiments to test their
hypotheses and critically evaluate the results.
Students will learn effective time management and
cooperation skills by working in teams.
Students will communicate their results in
scientific publications and oral presentations.
Students will appreciate the interdisciplinary
aspects of modern science.
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Typical course schedule Course kick-off -
classes meet together
1 month Students submit and refine proposals
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Coordination class website with multiple
components
Provides student access 24/7 Easily updated as
documents are revised Room to grow
Publicly available in early 2008
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Course pages serve multiple functions
Syllabi Lectures Class data
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Protocols are available for student use as needed
A long list
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Tutorials are constructed with Adobe Captivate
Output as Flash movies (.swf)
Slides - computer screen shots, Power point
slides, images Sound - imports sound directly
also imports mp3 files constructed in Audacity
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Students present their results
Students from the courses meet several times per
semester
Poster sessions
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Evaluation pre- and post-course survey How
familiar are you with..? (1not 2somewhat
3fairly 4very)
Pre- Post- Change
Methods used by cell biologists to answer questions 2.52 3.27 0.75
Methods used by biochemists to answer questions 2.13 3.05 0.92
Online databases containing genetic information for humans or model organisms 2.09 3.00 0.91
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Evaluation pre- and post-course survey How
confident are you that you can..? (1not
2somewhat 3fairly 4very)
Pre- Post- Change
Construct a testable hypothesis 3.22 3.57 0.35
Design an experiment to test hypothesis 2.83 3.32 0.49
Identify appropriate controls in an experiment 3.00 3.59 0.59
Critically evaluate experimental results 2.87 3.23 0.36
Write a scientific paper 2.78 3.00 0.22
Organize scientific data into a figure or table for publication 3.30 3.45 0.15
Schedule activities involved in an experiment 3.35 3.86 0.51
Present results in an oral presentation 3.17 3.38 0.21
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Thanks to
BC Academic Technology Sarah Castricum Bill
Porter Beth Clarke
Instructors Arlene Wyman John Wing Michael
Piatelli
Lynch School of Education Michael Barnett Larry
Ludlow Katie Trong
Students!
National Science Foundation