Recently, there has been heightened interest in supplemental resources that can be applied both in and out of the classroom, especially in undergraduate science courses. As a byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic, there also has been increased demand for online accessibility of these resources. Biochemistry is a complicated topic for undergraduate students; it has many moving pieces that are not always reinforced in a traditional classroom setting. We present a web application that emphasizes the dynamic nature of Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics. The application was coded in the R programming language, and was transformed into an interactive web app using the Shiny software package. The web app provides students with adjustable graphs, allowing them to explore the delicate details of enzyme kinetics that may not be best represented by static figures in typical introductory biochemistry textbooks. These graphs are located across different tabs throughout the app; each tab may have one or more types of graph, e.g., Michaelis-Menten, Lineweaver Burk, and variations thereof for inhibition situations. Additionally, each tab contains user interface elements that allow students to manipulate the graphs, such as sliders and radio buttons to change kinetic variables, rulers to track specific points along the x- and y-axes, and pop-up tooltips to define features and concepts. The web app can potentially work in concert with various learning activities, such as quizzes, tests, homework, or in-class/lab assignments. We developed an in-class activity that works alongside the web app. Students answer questions using the interactive graphs to further emphasize the mechanics of Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics. To assess the effectiveness of the web app, we implemented the activity in an introductory biochemistry course and administered a pre-test and post-test. This web app provides a proof-of-concept for a novel learning activity that can be developed to support more advanced biochemistry courses.

Interactive R Shiny web app for teaching Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics to undergraduates

Where thousands of chemistry professionals meet to share ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge. Spring 2023 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch at the end of March.

ACS Spring 2023

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