This laboratory exercise integrates chemistry and biology concepts to give third/fourth-year undergraduate students an opportunity to apply knowledge from different subject areas to address a real-world biomedical issue such as pathogen inhibition using composite materials. It involves the preparation of a bacteria-derived cellulosic biopolymer…

Undergraduate laboratory courses are essential to teaching core principles in STEM. This course, Quantitative Biological Methods, provides a unique approach to teaching molecular biology research techniques to students, in a laboratory that is delivered in a sequence that parallels standard biomedical research laboratory protocols. Students attend…

Growth in the biomedical and biotechnology sectors requires a highly trained and highly skilled workforce to answer the next great scientific questions. Undergraduate laboratory courses incorporating hands-on training based in authentic research position soon-to-be graduates to learn in environments that mirror those of academic, industrial, and…

Novel biomaterial development is a rapidly growing field that is crucial because biomaterial fouling, due to rapid and irreversible protein adsorption, leads to cellular responses and potentially detrimental consequences such as surface thrombosis, biofilm formation, or inflammation. Therefore, biomaterial technology's fundamentals, like material…

We describe an advanced, inquiry driven undergraduate course in Cancer Biology that combines faculty lectures typical of undergraduate courses with literature-driven discussions typical of graduate courses. As a capstone course, one goal of this course is to integrate knowledge from previous coursework in physiology, cell and molecular biology,…

In the current laboratory assignment, technical aspects of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are integrated in the context of six different bacterial outbreak scenarios. The "Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus Sequence" (ERIC) PCR was used to analyze different outbreak scenarios. First, groups of 2-4 students determined optimal…

Describes an undergraduate research program in biomedical engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Includes goals and faculty comments on the program. Indicates that 58 percent of projects conducted between 1976 and 1980 have been presented at meetings or published. (SK)

Explores neurochemical events in the extra cellular space of the brain by use of in vivo voltammetric microelectrodes. Reports dopamine concentrations and pathways, and discusses techniques used for analysis. Recognizes current problems and future directions for research. (ML)

Explores problem-based learning as a strategy for teaching analytical science theory and laboratory practice to a cohort of first year undergraduate biomedical students (N=48). Findings indicate that students feel the approach helps their understanding of theory practice connections. (DDR)

Describes an undergraduate research program for minority students. The program and eight objectives of the first course of the program, "Introduction to Research," are presented. Some strengths and weaknesses of the course are considered. (YP)