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List of Workshops

Handouts for the major workshops were provided for attendees in the virtual conference binder.

Name	Affiliation	Title	Location	Date
d'Entremont, Helene	Acadia University	Tell Me What's Lurking in Your Nose: Using Oral Laboratory Reports to Assess Leaners' Knowledge	Tata 2101	28-Jun
Barry, Rachael	University of California, Irvine	A CURE for Antibiotic Resistance: Using Metabolite Supplementation to Increase Antibiotic Efficacy	Tata 2102	28-Jun
Ruffell, Sarah	University of Waterloo	The cost of money: an inquiry-based laboratory activity identifying bacterial populations on foreign currencies	Tata 2301	28-Jun
Strobel Kass, Ashley	The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center	Mutant Millets: Phenotype to genotype using the green foxtail millet (Setaria viridis)	Tata 2302	28-Jun
Lauer, Antje	California State University Bakersfield	Detection of Coccidioides spp. In Dust Samples Collected in Kern County, CA	Tata 2303	28-Jun
Kellett, Kimberly	Perimeter College at Georgia State University	Assessing and documenting campus plant diversity to increase students connections with nature	Tata 2304	28-Jun
Nolan, Kathleen 1 & Wydner, Katherine 2	1 - St. Francis College 2 - Saint Peter's University	Recording Animal Vocalizations at the San Diego Zoo: Animal Vocalizations IV	York 3020	28-Jun
Herrmann, Samantha	The Ohio State University	eBird Community Science Project: Engaging Non-Major Biology Students in Authentic and Meaningful Research	York 3050	28-Jun
Martyn, Amanda	Wake Forest University	Breaking Down Silos: Systems Mapping in Cellular & Molecular Biology	York 4124	28-Jun
Stockwell, Sarah R.	University of California San Diego	Molecular ecology of wild yeasts: Isolating and identifying yeast species from the environment	York 4406	28-Jun
Drummond, John O.	Lafayette College	Phage hunters: a CURE for retention in the sciences	Tata 2101	29-Jun
LeBert, Danny; Rustad, Ashal; Smith, Collin & Choate, Kristian	Northern Michigan University	Open to all —selection at registration is not required Detection of Environmental Staphylococcus aureus using Colorimetric Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP)	Tata 2102	29-Jun
Forrester, Linda	University of Rhode Island	Collecting cell respiration data slowly and quickly: Learning basic data skills with cellular respiration experiments	Tata 2301	29-Jun
Lemke, Hans	University of Maryland	Exploring Photosynthesis, Experimental Design and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation with Algae Beads	Tata 2303	29-Jun
Crowder, Roslyn N.	Stetson University	Studying hypoxia as a tool to introduce students to molecular and cellular biology techniques	Tata 2304	29-Jun
Hobson, Elizabeth	University of Cincinnati	Building undergraduate data science skills via virtual experiments in animal social movement & network interactions	York 3020	29-Jun
Austin, Shane	The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus	LEGO® brick activities for the biochemistry and molecular biology lab	York 4124	29-Jun
Haddix, Pryce L.	Auburn University Montgomery	Simulating Bacterial Chemostat Growth as an Introduction to Rate Modeling with Differential Calculus	York 4306	29-Jun
Firooznia, Fardad	The City College of New York	Plant essential oils as natural insecticides against Callosobruchus maculatus: Looking at the biochemistry of a greener alternative	York 4332	29-Jun
Tullai, John W.	Boston University	Automating behavior analysis in Drosophila melanogaster in a large undergraduate neuroscience laboratory course.	York 4406	29-Jun
Macrae, Robert M.	retired 2022 from Selkirk College	Low Cost, Broad Spectrum, Chronic Toxicity Bioassays developed by Dutka and Kwan	CANCELLED	CANCELLED
Woodson, Lorie	Springfield College	Using cell phones for photomicrographic analysis of human tissues in an anatomy lab	CANCELLED	CANCELLED

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Wednesday Abstracts

Handouts for the major workshops were provided for attendees in the virtual conference binder.

Tell Me What’s Lurking in Your Nose: Using Oral Laboratory Reports to Assess Learners’ Knowledge

Helene d’Entremont, Acadia University [Sophomore-Junior level; bio and non-bio majors]

Isolation of bacteria present in the human nose has traditionally been used to teach students basic microbial techniques, such as colony isolation, Gram staining and rapid enzymatic tests, to identify major groups of bacteria. In our second-year microbiology laboratory, results of this exercise are used to generate one of the 3 scientific laboratory reports that the students write during the semester. As part of an effort to use a variety of assessing tools to accommodate different learning styles, as well as teach different communication skills, an oral laboratory report replaced the traditional written report for this particular exercise. Implementing oral reports requires careful planning at the beginning of the semester to fit within schedule constraints, particularly in the case of courses with a large number of students and/or multiple sections. Clear instructions for the students and careful rubric design for assessment reduces potential resistance from the parties involved. In this workshop, participants will not only practice general microbial techniques, but also will use the results obtained to play the role of students, laboratory instructors and/or teaching assistants completing the oral report. We will discuss planning, implementation, and students’ and instructors’ perceptions of oral lab report assessment.

A CURE for Antibiotic Resistance: Using Metabolite Supplementation to Increase Antibiotic Efficacy

Rachael Barry, University of California, Irvine [Sophomore-Grad student level; bio majors]

Supported by a Roberta Williams Laboratory Teaching Initiative Grant

Tens of thousands of people in the US die from antibiotic resistant bacterial infections each year. As time passes, more pathogenic strains of bacteria acquire antibiotic resistance genes. The development of novel antibiotic drugs cannot keep up. As a result, strategies to maintain or increase the efficacy of existing drugs are one potential way to fight against antibiotic resistant bacterial infections. Previous work has shown that supplementing bacteria with single metabolites can potentiate inhibition or killing by antibiotics that were previously ineffective. For example, several sugars and amino acids have been shown to increase the effectiveness of aminoglycoside antibiotics. To date, no comprehensive survey of combinations of metabolites and antibiotics has been conducted to identify these possible combination therapies. The studies required to establish candidates for this type of therapy requires common microbiological techniques that are inexpensive, simple enough for undergraduates to perform, and often part of many existing microbiology laboratory curricula. Thus, the undergraduate microbiology laboratory may serve as a potential screening platform for these therapies. This setup allows students to conduct authentic, inquiry driven research in their teaching lab. In this workshop, we will describe this multiweek laboratory module and discuss ways to adapt it to an undergraduate microbiology lab course. Participants will gain hands on experience with some of the laboratory techniques including setting up a mock experiments and interpreting data from this module.

The cost of money: an inquiry-based laboratory activity identifying bacterial populations on foreign currencies

Sarah Ruffell, University of Waterloo [Freshman-Junior level; bio majors]

This lab focuses on students developing microbiology lab preparatory skills, such as making growth medium, and then using their materials to perform phenotypic and genotypic testing on unknown organisms. More specifically, this activity was completed in groups of 2-3, requires ten 2-hour labs and incorporates biochemical tests and barcoding to uncover the identity of bacterial populations on foreign currency. Each student group must formulate a unique hypothesis that they will test using the laboratory techniques available to them. Students use the data they have collected to formulate conclusions based on their hypothesis. Workshop attendees will receive an overview of the entire procedure, and they will perform the DNA barcode amplification methodology in the lab.

Mutant Millets: Phenotype to genotype using the green foxtail millet (Setaria viridis)

Ashley Strobel Kass, The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center [High School-Junior undergrad level; bio and non-bio majors]

The Mutant Millets program takes authentic research discovery research in modern agriculture at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center into undergraduate laboratories using a phenotyping platform of mutant populations of green foxtail millet (Setaria viridis). Green foxtail millet is a small, fast-growing grass related to several economically important cereals such as corn, sorghum, and sugarcane. Currently, it is being used as a model plant for engineering C4 photosynthetic traits into C3 plants to improve photosynthesis, carbon allocation, biomass gains, and eventually, enhancement of biofuel production. Through the Mutant Millets CURE (Course-based undergraduate research experience) program, students are given the opportunity to partner with Danforth Plant Science Center (DDPSC) scientists to enrich their scientific knowledge and research skills by engaging in cutting edge plant science research. Students are provided with seed from wild type and chemically mutated populations of Setaria viridis at the M2 generation, with unknown mutations. Students conduct genetic screens for mutations affecting plant morphology as they grow the plants from seed to seed during the course of a semester as part of gene discovery using forward genetics. Students are challenged to apply their learning to the process of mutant identification as they collect and synthesise data on plant traits such as seed germination, plant height, tillering, panicle emergence, leaf morphology, seed set, and seed quality. Environmental growth conditions such as temperature, relative humidity, light intensity, and watering frequency are recorded to emphasize the importance of favorable and standardized growth conditions. Once students identify a mutant with a visible phenotype, they can proceed to map the causative gene for the mutant by following the Bulked segregant analysis and bioinformatics procedures. These data are uploaded through the Mutant Millets website and the data is used by DDPSC scientists to further our understanding of plant biology.

Detection of Coccidioides spp. In Dust Samples Collected in Kern County, CA

Antje Lauer, California State University Bakersfield [High School-Grad student level; bio and non-bio majors]

Incidence of coccidioidomycosis, a respiratory illness for which no cure exists, is increasing in Kern County, CA, which is situated in the endemic area of the fungal pathogen Coccidioides spp. Reasons for this observation include land use change and the ongoing drought. Molecular methods can be used to detect the presence of the pathogen in dust or soil samples using DNA extraction and a nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) approach that includes a diagnostic step. Students from several High Schools in Kern County collect dust samples over the seasons, extract the DNA, and perform the PCR reactions, followed by agarose gel electrophoresis to investigate if Coccidioides arthroconidia are present in the collected dust.

Assessing and documenting campus plant diversity to increase students connections with nature

Kimberly Kellett, Perimeter College at Georgia State University [High School-Junior undergrad level; non-bio majors]

Spending time outdoors in nature has been shown to reduce stress, but students lead busy lives and are increasingly disconnected with the natural world around them. This series of lab activities is designed to address common learning objectives of Introductory Biology classes while spending time outdoors on campus and becoming familiar with species they see every day. As a result of these activities, students will contribute to a campus “Species Guide” and long-term data sets on campus plant community diversity. Students do not need any previous experience with plant identification or ecological sampling. These labs are designed for non-majors Biology students but could be modified for majors. They do not require any specialized equipment. Learning objectives addressed by these labs include measuring and interpreting species richness and Simpson’s Diversity index, identifying basic plant anatomical structures and differentiating among leaf arrangements, describing adaptations plants have to their environment, and constructing graphs that summarize results. In this workshop, participants will spend time outside on campus conducting two different plant diversity assessments and a plant adaptation “scavenger hunt” as well as some short interdisciplinary art and writing activities. The workshop will finish with data analysis and discussion of results, sharing of student work, and discussion on implementing these activities on participants’ home campuses. Those who teach at campuses with limited “greenspace” are encouraged to attend, as the activities presented here are designed to work on almost any campus and are not limited to those with large natural areas. This workshop is an extended version of a mini workshop presented at ABLE 2022.

Recording Animal Vocalizations at the San Diego Zoo: Animal Vocalizations IV

Kathleen Nolan and Katherine Wydner, St. Francis College and Saint Peter’s University [Freshman-Junior level; bio and non-bio majors]

This fourth ABLE zoo sound recording workshop will take place at the San Diego Zoo where there is a wide variety of animals that vocalize. Participants can record animals using the free downloadable Audacity or Raven Lite and convert these waveforms to spectrograms for further analysis. They can also record ambient noise and attempt to see if there are changes in the behavior of the animals. Hypotheses can be tested about how variable vocalizations might be in different settings; in a zoo-setting this could include a variety of other surrounding animals and humans. Are vocalizations different before, during, or after a feeding? For example, a St. Francis College student noted that sea lions became unusually quiet after a feeding session at the Queens Zoo in New York City. At the San Diego Zoo, participants can record birds, sea lions, and primates under various conditions. [Requires extra $65 for zoo tickets]

eBird Community Science Project: Engaging Non-Major Biology Students in Authentic and Meaningful Research

Samantha Herrmann, The Ohio State University [Freshman level; non-bio majors]

The goal of many non-major biology labs is to provide inquiry-based exercises that reinforce the course content within a single lab period. While that lab format supports student learning of biology content and some science skills, students are missing out on the opportunity to hone their scientific literacy by engaging in the scientific process in a more authentic way and seeing themselves as a part of the scientific community. As we shifted to remote environments in 2020, we used this as an opportunity to develop a laboratory experience for students that better reflects real scientific research. The eBird Community Science Project is a seven-week long research project spread out over a semester in the style of a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience that uses a well-known app and database for crowdsourced bird data, allowing students to practice science by developing and answering a valid research question as well as contribute data to global research efforts. At the end of the semester, students create a unique communication artifact that presents their research to a non-scientific audience of their choosing. Since 2020, we have continued to implement this project in all sections of our Introductory Biology course at The Ohio State University to much success. In this workshop, participants will engage in an abbreviated version of this project that will allow them to envision the student experience. In small groups, they will use the eBird app and database to develop and test a hypothesis. By the end of the workshop, participants will have outlined a way to communicate their project to a non-scientific audience. Throughout the workshop, we will highlight areas of success and discuss the challenges we’ve encountered with suggestions for implementation at other institutions.

Breaking Down Silos: Systems Mapping in Cellular & Molecular Biology

Amanda Martyn, Wake Forest University [High School-Junior undergrad level; bio and non-bio majors]

Cellular & Molecular biology is well established as a basic biological science. However, the complexity of the cell often results in having to approach content piece by piece, compartmentalizing course material as “silos”. Students often struggle with finding common themes, or linking together topics over the course of a semester, both within a single class or across subjects. In this workshop, we will approach the topic of protein trafficking from a Systems Thinking perspective in order to help students develop a more thorough understanding of complex biological systems. This framework can be introduced as early as secondary school through strategic scaffolding and thoughtful pedagogical practices. Educators can start shaping student capacity in Systems Thinking in order to map relationships between organelles, cellular structures and processes while building critical consciousness, develop collaboration skills, and promote active learning. This workshop introduces Systems Thinking as a framework for problem-based learning to improve student understanding of complex, multi-faceted interactions at the cellular and molecular level through interactive examples, collaboration, and use of digital tools. In this workshop, participants will be introduced on how to generate Slice-of-the System maps, brainstorm strategies for incorporating Slice-of-the-System maps in the classroom, and adopt a Systems Thinking approach for helping students connect relationships between key aspects of cellular processes. We will discuss the benefits of a Systems Thinking approach as a practice to help students find common themes in a model system and to map specific mechanisms in cellular biology, ultimately breaking down the silos to better understand the inner workings of complex biological systems.

Molecular ecology of wild yeasts: Isolating and identifying yeast species from the environment

Sarah R. Stockwell, University of California San Diego [Freshman-Grad Student level; bio majors]

Wild yeasts are everywhere, an invisible and understudied part of our environment. In this lab module, wild yeasts offer students an entry point into studying the ecology of their region. Over the course of 9 weeks (part time), students explore a natural area and choose their own samples of plants and insects, then culture their samples over several weeks to isolate wild yeast strains. They DNA-barcode their strains and use the sequence data to identify what they have found. Finally, they look for patterns in pooled class data and present a research proposal for future experiments to identify associations between yeasts and their hosts. Students get a chance to collect genuinely novel data of interest to the scientific community while learning about their local environment. In addition, they practice important molecular biology and microbiology laboratory skills. They even have a chance of discovering a new species of yeast! In this workshop, participants will get hands-on experience with several stages of the wild yeast project, including collecting samples, streaking cultures to isolation, and researching barcoded strains using online databases. We will also have cultures of some commonly isolated species so participants can learn to recognize them. Participants will leave with the ability to use all or part of this lab module to explore the wild yeasts of their own local ecosystems with their students.

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Thursday Abstracts

Handouts for the major workshops were provided for attendees in the virtual conference binder.

Phage hunters: a CURE for retention in the sciences

John O. Drummond, Lafayette College [Freshman level; bio and non-bio majors]

This workshop, geared towards college freshmen, introduces participants to a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) that fosters student engagement and promotes excitement and retention in Biology and Biology research. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Science Education Alliance Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) CURE begins with simple digging in the soil or collecting day-old grass clippings to find new viruses, but progresses through a variety of microbiology techniques and, in the second semester, to genome annotation and bioinformatic analyses. Compared to traditional labs, the SEA-PHAGES CURE increases student interest in Biology and has been shown to increase retention in STEM disciplines. This workshop will guide participants through an abbreviated version of the isolation stage that kicks off the semester-long SEA-PHAGES CURE. Participants will collect grass from on campus and then perform a direct isolation to extract phages from their grass clippings. Participants will then plate their extract to create a plaque assay which will be used to identify and characterize their phage.

Detection of Environmental Staphylococcus aureus using Colorimetric Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP)

Open to all —selection at registration not required

Danny LeBert, Asha Rustad, Collin Smith & Kristian Choate, Northern Michigan University [High School-Junior undergrad level; bio majors]

Herein we present a progression of experiments in which undergraduate students test for the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in their learning environment. These techniques are suitable for introductory cellular and molecular or microbiology undergraduate laboratory courses. S. aureus is a common gram-positive bacterium often found in water and soil and colonizes external mucous membranes in approximately one third of the population. S. aureus is also part of the natural skin flora, contributing to its abundance on commonly touched surfaces. In this laboratory session, students perform environmental swabs, plate and grow mixed bacterial cultures, perform clonal expansion of probable colonies, and then use colorimetric Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) as a final confirmation of the presence of S. aureus. Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) is a DNA amplification technique capable of providing visually interpretable color-based results within one hour using crude cell lysates. LAMP does not require a thermal cycler and performs optimally at a single temperature (60-65^oC), requiring only a simple heating block or hot water bath. Learning objectives include isolating and culturing a target bacterial colony, bacterial lysis techniques, and using LAMP to confirm the presence of a target organism. The laboratory also includes positive and negative controls, allowing instructors to discuss the importance of appropriate experimental design.

Collecting cell respiration data slowly and quickly: Learning basic data skills with cellular respiration experiments

Linda Forrester, University of Rhode Island [Freshman level; bio and non-bio majors]

Modern undergraduate lab exercises focus on helping undergraduate students build basic skills in experimental design, data collection, data analysis, and data presentation. The COVID pandemic pushed the development of laboratory exercises that students complete at home with real, repeatable experiments allowing for student innovation and creativity. At-home labs were designed with an emphasis on activities that reinforce challenging concepts by using experiments that allow students to synthesize their observations, collect data, and practice data presentation skills. At-home labs can now be used as an alternative, data collection lab, for students who need this accommodation. We present an easy, inexpensive approach for students at home to collect data on yeast undergoing cellular respiration. Students run replicate samples of yeast consuming sugar solutions, collecting authentic data on the replicates at their home. Students described concepts of cellular respiration with data from replicated experiments. Upon returning to the lab, students work in groups to extend this experience and test at least one novel situation. Students write hypotheses that examine extending questions, following similar protocols to the prescribed original experiment. Students are encouraged to design their own experiment but are offered some suggestions based on lab supplies. Also in the lab, students collect similar data using Vernier CO2 probes. These collect data significantly faster but can only be used in a lab situation. Students compare slow (2-hour) data collection, measuring bubbles of collected CO2 to faster (5-min) data collection with sensitive probes measuring changes in CO2 concentration. Students collect, analyze, and present their data, developing basic data analysis skills. This is a first semester, first-year intro biology course which focuses on building spreadsheet skills using MS Excel or Google Sheets. This lab increases student understanding of cellular respiration, hypothesis testing, data collection and data presentation.

Exploring Photosynthesis, Experimental Design and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation with Algae Beads

Hans Lemke, University of Maryland [High School-Freshman undergrad level; bio and non-bio majors]

Algae beads are small alginate beads with green algae (Chlorella vulgaris) embedded in them. These beads can be placed in a CO2 indicator solution and photosynthesis can be monitored based on colorimetric changes of the indicator. The beads are versatile tools that can be used for everything from simple demonstrations of photosynthesis to complex experiments exploring how environmental conditions such as light levels impact photosynthesis. The basic framework presented here can easily be modified to fit in with other examples. In this workshop we will use the beads to review basic experimental design principles in the context of the effect of water clarity on photosynthesis in submerged aquatic vegetation. Participants will design and conduct an experiment using algae beads and we will discuss how to incorporate them into your course.

Studying hypoxia as a tool to introduce students to molecular and cellular biology techniques

Roslyn N. Crowder, Stetson University [Sophomore-Junior level; bio majors]

Supported by a Roberta Williams Laboratory Teaching Initiative Grant

Hypoxia is a term used to described conditions with reduced oxygen. Hypoxia is associated with many diseases and disorders including cancer and cardiovascular disease. Investigating hypoxia in a lab setting allows lab students a unique environmental variable to examine changes in cell proliferation, protein expression, and protein localization. In this workshop, I will detail how I used hypoxia in an upper-level cancer biology course to introduce undergraduate students to several cellular and molecular techniques including cell counting, immunofluorescence and nuclear and cytoplasmic fractionation. Technique selection criteria will be reviewed and cost-saving technique suggestions will be provided. Limitations and troubleshooting will also be discussed.

Building undergraduate data science skills via virtual experiments in animal social movement & network interactions

Elizabeth Hobson, University of Cincinnati [Sophomore-Grad Student level; bio and non-bio majors]

Supported by a Roberta Williams Laboratory Teaching Initiative Grant

There is increasing awareness that data science and computational thinking are critical skills for undergraduates to develop but these can be difficult to integrate into undergraduate Biology classes. In the workshop, I describe how I have used a system for learning the programming language R that focuses on building students’ skills and confidence in data exploration, management, and visualization. This activity pairs a hands-on virtual experiment where students simulate animal movements and social interactions with big data to provide a friendly introduction to basic data science for biologists. During the activity, students play the “Sociality Game” in a multi-player online game, where each student plays the role of an individual animal and acts according to the social rules of the experiment. Students “role play” social interactions according to these rules while the platform collects their movement decisions. Following the conclusion of the game, students export the data they just created and analyze it to learn how to detect known patterns through basic summaries and plotting in R. All analyses and programming skills are presented through video mini-lectures which teach students the skills they need to scaffold their learning as they slightly adapt their existing code to analyze their results. This approach decouples coding from statistics, assumes no prior knowledge, and utilizes behavior of charismatic species like vampire bats and penguins to incentivize student participation. This module can be used in many kinds of courses: I have successfully tested the module in lab sections of a large 700+ student introductory biology course as well as using the module as the introductory training in a small 15-student upper-level coding-intensive lab. I summarize best practices for implementation of this module, present student responses, and discuss many potential modifications and biology topics that this flexible platform can be used to address.

LEGO® brick activities for the biochemistry and molecular biology lab

Shane Austin, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus [Senior-Grad Student level; bio majors]

Supported by a Roberta Williams Laboratory Teaching Initiative Grant

Students enter molecular biology and biochemistry labs to perform cloning experiments and find themselves pipetting endless volumes of colorless liquids. This practical activity acts as a simulation to engage students and encourage them to consider multiple modes of representation of biological concepts. LEGO® bricks will be used as a versatile tool that is easily accessible to both students and educators to illustrate their concepts, other easily accessible tools will be used and other possible extensions to the lab will be discussed with educators so that they can add specific content to their classes.

Simulating Bacterial Chemostat Growth as an Introduction to Rate Modeling with Differential Calculus

Pryce L. Haddix, Auburn University Montgomery [Junior level; bio majors]

Supported by a Roberta Williams Laboratory Teaching Initiative Grant

The bacterial chemostat is a device which enables experimenter control over population growth rate by restricting access to nutrients. Replacement of fully-grown culture with sterile growth medium enables a continuous dilution process in which growth rate is directly proportional to both cell concentration and culture replacement but inversely proportional to culture volume. Chemostat growth may be modeled using simple differential equations as an illustration of the utility of mathematical modeling for biological systems. Participants in this workshop will receive both theoretical background and hands-on experience with a non-biohazardous chemostat simulation which illustrates the modeling. This activity may be implemented in an undergraduate junior-level microbiology laboratory setting or as a first semester calculus demonstration.

Plant essential oils as natural insecticides against Callosobruchus maculatus: Looking at the biochemistry of a greener alternative

Fardad Firooznia, The City College of New York [Freshman-Junior level; bio and non-bio majors]

Supported by a Roberta Williams Laboratory Teaching Initiative Grant

Here we present a multi-session, investigative lab sequence that examines the effectiveness and biochemistry of plant essential oils as “natural” insecticides against the bean beetle Callosobruchus maculatus. Due to concerns about the effects of chemical insecticides on human health and non-target organisms as well as increasing levels of insecticide resistance observed in the field, there is interest in using “natural” insecticides to replace chemical insecticides. There is evidence that several plant essential oils are toxic to different insect pests and that their toxicity may be due to inhibition of various enzymes. Bean beetles are pests of legume seeds, and are easy to culture and use in a teaching laboratory. Students can use fumigant toxicity assays to determine effectiveness of commercially available essential oils from closely or distantly related plant species as natural insecticides against bean beetles. The students can study potential unintended consequences of using such “natural” insecticides by studying their effects on enzymes extracted from other organisms such as fish and mammals. Students can also study the effect of plant essential oils on several enzymes extracted from bean beetles as potential targets of the “natural” insecticide. This lab sequence relates enzyme activity to evolutionary processes in plant-animal interactions, ethnobotany, and agroecology.

Automating behavior analysis in Drosophila melanogaster in a large undergraduate neuroscience laboratory course.

John W. Tullai, Boston University [Freshman-Junior level; bio majors]

Supported by a Roberta Williams Laboratory Teaching Initiative Grant

NE203 Principles in Neuroscience is a large (150-student) required laboratory course. Because of its large student enrollment and new inquiry-based approach the course recently went through a major overhaul last semester. Curriculum switched from performing surgery in rats to using fruit flies. We ran a pilot term in the fall of 2021 and are now incorporating feedback to modify for fall 2022. Students use Drosophila melanogaster as an experimental animal to ask original questions in systems neuroscience. In the first month students are introduced to the field of neurogenetics and become familiar with common genetic tools used in fruit flies. The second month students work on proposing an independent group project by collecting their own pilot data and writing an NIH-style grant proposal. This proposal is “peer reviewed” and students are allowed to modify their experimental design and approach with feedback from the instructional team. In the final month students continue collecting data and formally present their final grant proposal. Thus far, the introduction of the activity monitoring system has more than double student interest in utilizing automated behavioral monitoring in their proposals.

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Low Cost, Broad Spectrum, Chronic Toxicity Bioassays developed by Dutka and Kwan

UPDATE: as of May 8th, this workshop has been cancelled.

Robert M. Macrae, retired 2022 from Selkirk College [Sophomore-Grad Student level; bio and non-bio majors]

In this lab-based workshop, two chronic toxicity bioassays using lettuce and cucumber seedling root elongation will be demonstrated. Both are elegant, low-cost, broad spectrum, chronic toxicity bioassays derived from work by Dr. Bernard Dutka and K. K. Kwan, retired from Environment Canada. The bioassays have been modified into applied lab exercises that students find engaging because they feel like research projects based on real world practices. Dutka and Kwan deliberately designed their bioassays so they used readily available, inexpensive supplies so people in developing countries or grassroots environmental groups with limited financial resources and with concerns regarding water quality or environmental protection had the means to collect data that could withstand legal scrutiny. Beyond developing lab skills required to complete arithmetic and geometric dilutions, measure, record and analyze data using advanced spreadsheet functions such as linear regression and straightening a non-linear curve; the bioassays illustrate concepts such as comparing bioassays with chemical assays, chronic and acute toxicity, the quantification of toxicity, toxicity units, no observable effects limit, chronic toxicity range, acute toxicity range, and reference toxic compounds. These bioassays have been used successfully as reliable, low-cost techniques to teach and to assess toxicity and compare results with methods such as the 96 hour rainbow trout acute bioassay.

Using cell phones for photomicrographic analysis of human tissues in an anatomy lab.

UPDATE: as of May 8th, this workshop has been cancelled.

Lorie Woodson, Springfield College [High School-Junior undergrad level; bio and non-bio majors]

Learning the structure and function of human tissues is critical for understanding many higher order physiological processes in any level of anatomy and physiology. However, many students, particularly students in introductory anatomy coufind selkrses, struggle with understanding and learning the tissues. In order to facilitate better comprehension of the structure of human tissues, I developed a laboratory exercise in which students use their own cellular phone to take images (photomicrographs) of tissues and subsequently process the images to generate high quality labeled figures. Students are then asked to compare and contrast tissues using their figures to gain a better understanding of the structure and relate that structure to function. This exercise is presented as a comparison between human and non-human blood. However, this lab activity can easily be modified and scaled to accommodate any developmental level, and adapted to any field of biology that utilizes microscopic analysis for learning purposes. Qualitative feedback from students and Graduate Fellows will be provided for perspective, and examples of real student work will be shared. Participants of this workshop will experience the entire process of taking photomicrographs as well as cropping and editing their own images to take home!

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