Research projects provide real-world challenges and rewards, and parallel implementation in a teaching lab environment should enhance student learning. However, practical factors complicate their implementation, such as organizing parallel projects in a teaching lab course, communicating protocols effectively, collecting data systematically, and transitioning between independent research and the teaching lab.We are developing an online resource called GENI (Genomics Education National Initiative) to provide biochemistry and molecular biology protocols and data collection tools that can be used in teaching labs to better answer research questions in the context of undergraduate teaching labs. GENI protocols and tools guide undergraduates to produce quality, organized data and conclusions that can be peer-reviewed and published.This research took place in three phases over the course of an academic year, which were coordinated and unified by GENI and systematically assessed with concept tests:i.)             We collected novel student-designed protein sequences from homologous species using bioinformatics tools to test for interaction strength and speed as part of an independent project.ii.)            We implemented a 7-week protein production and purification project in a biochemistry teaching lab using GENI protocols, resulting in the production of 8 different proteins by more than two dozen students.iii.)           In a subsequent survey of physical chemistry course, ten students collected thermodynamic and kinetic protein-protein interaction data for these proteins.We will describe the results of producing gorilla and rabbit homologs of human immunoproteins to investigate protein-protein interaction specificity. GENI tools allow undergraduates to participate in advanced research projects by producing novel results in the teaching lab, and can be readily transferred to other chemistry projects.[Partial support for this work was provided by the National Science Foundation's Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (TUES) program under Award No. 1322848.]

Implementing long-term, independent research projects in biochemistry and physical chemistry teaching labs by organizing data and protocols with GENI online tools

248th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.