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Bioprospecting drives scientific innovation but can be tarnished by ethical challenges (e.g., biopiracy) when prior-informed consent and benefit-sharing are not formally established. Many microbiology courses address bioprospecting, yet curriculum that teaches the ethics of bioprospecting is uncommon. We developed and vetted a bioprospecting case study that can be implemented before students commence discovery-based research. The bioprospecting module emphasizes analysis of situations that warrant prior informed consent and mutually agreed terms. The module was implemented across 13 U.S. colleges with undergraduate students enrolled in the Tiny Earth CURE in diverse course types and institutional contexts. Student gains in knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes were measured using iteratively-refined pre/post knowledge-based instruments aligned to the learning objectives. Students showed significant learning gains with a large effect size. Post-module performance was comparable across student groups and institutional contexts after accounting for baseline knowledge. Students reported increased perceived competence in module learning objectives and positive engagement with the module. This case study provides a scalable curricular resource for embedding ethical bioprospecting and Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) in college courses, helping students anticipate and navigate consent, benefit-sharing, and stewardship issues in research fueling the bioeconomy.
Students can be intimidated by finding, navigating, and interpreting primary scientific sources. Meanwhile, students entering health care careers who are reluctant or unable to interpret emerging research miss out on evidence-based treatments or career growth. I offer a method that provides intrinsic opportunities for students of varying abilities and experience in science to experience a scientific article in small bites during which they 1) Find a primary source that interests them, 2) Determine typical contents and basic interpretation of each section, 3) Summarize key content from their papers in digital posters to share in a small, journal club-style meeting and, 4) Reflect on their experiences reading through a primary scientific journal article. As students learn more about biology and lab skills throughout the semester coursework, their understanding of their chosen source crystallizes. I follow progress throughout the semester using online quizzes with soft deadlines, helpful feedback, and multiple attempts.
In this workflow students use the recombineering method of CRISPR gene editing to replace the LacZ coding sequence with a GFP coding sequence in E. coli cells. Students run through all the steps from purifying plasmid and linear DNA, electroporating E. coli bacteria and then scoring, and interpreting results. Then they modify the guide RNA plasmid to target a different region of the LacZ coding sequence and repeat the workflow, comparing results between different guide RNA plasmids. At Shoreline College this workflow is integrated into a yearlong Biotechnology lab technician training program. However, the whole workflow or sections of it could be integrated into a broader range of courses for different college programs. Your feedback will inform future development and dissemination approaches for the workflow.
Many instructors have discovered, created, or substantially improved a teaching strategy as they teach and develop their courses. One feature that separates scholarly teaching from the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) is the dissemination of your ideas to a wider audience. In this session, we will review a few active learning techniques that work well in introductory biological sciences courses, sharing the history and rationale for the techniques. We will also review different publication outlets for your work and a workflow that moves your ideas from lightbulb moment to national recognition of your teaching innovations as published works.
EvolvingSTEM is a successful high school outreach program that provides authentic research experiences in microbiology, genetics, and evolution. Leveraging the rapid generation times of microbes, students witness “evolution in action,” as bacteria adapt to different selective regimes. We adapted this approach for university students, who have more advanced knowledge, skills, and lab time—but also a critical need for professional development that prepares them for a competitive job market. Here we present a 10-week Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE), adapted from the EvolvingSTEM program. Students investigate the question, “How do bacteria protect themselves from predators?” by evolving populations of the harmless bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens in the presence or absence of an amoeba predator. They conduct fitness assays, identify the genetic changes that generate predation resistance, and analyze group data. The course emphasizes professional development, teaching skills such as maintaining electronic lab notebooks, reviewing the literature, designing experiments, and public speaking.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a common tool for students, making it important to teach them how to use it responsibly. We developed a group project for an undergraduate microbiology course in which students use AI to create an infectious disease case study. After researching an assigned infectious disease, each group designs a prompt to generate a realistic clinical case. Students then compare the AI-generated case with information from textbooks and other reliable scientific sources to verify the accuracy of the organism's biology, disease process, diagnosis, laboratory findings, and treatment. They revise the case as needed before presenting it to the class. During the presentation, students explain how they developed their case, discuss the challenges and benefits of using AI, and reflect on what they learned. This activity encourages students to apply microbiology concepts, think critically about AI-generated information, and develop skills in collaboration and clinical reasoning.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly integrated into STEM higher education, making it important to understand how students use and perceive these tools. This study surveyed biology undergraduates over one semester: Genetics sophomores (n=195), Microbiology (n=43), and Cell & Molecular Biology seniors (n=40). About half used AI to prepare for midterms (48%, 53%, and 58%). Claude and ChatGPT were the primary tools used, with preferences varying by course. In Genetics, 68% of students relied on lecture notes, discussions, and online resources rather than the textbook. Across courses, students used AI to simplify concepts and generate practice questions; upperclassmen also used it to interpret scientific articles and review prerequisite material. Some cross-checked outputs across multiple AI tools. Students viewed AI as a personalized study assistant but emphasized the need for strong prompts and critical evaluation. Notably, about half preferred not to use AI, highlighting the importance of accommodating diverse learning preferences.
As microbiology laboratory students worked in small groups focusing on hands-on, active learning, we noticed class-wide interactions were low; students worked in isolation and left immediately upon completion. To bridge this gap, undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs) suggested a fun, competitive award system. The goal was to acknowledge technical skill and attention to detail while building community through competitive playfulness. UTAs implemented a merit-badge system inspired by Scout traditions. Each week, they inspected bench cleanliness and evaluated techniques to award physical pins featuring humorous, AI-generated microbiology graphics to exemplary individuals or groups. Survey data indicated strong support. This initiative successfully bookended daily experiments; students eagerly anticipated announcements, celebrated peers' successes, and proudly wore the badges on their lab coats all semester. Come by this poster to see our badge designs and button-making toolkit. We encourage you to share the creative, affordable, playful tools you use in your labs!
Working students are often framed as distracted or less engaged, yet employment can also cultivate belonging, community cultural wealth, transferable skills, and persistence in STEM. This microbrew translates an analytic autoethnography of working twenty-eight hours per week while pursuing a biology degree into a practical, instructor-facing course reflection tool. Attendees will examine where their own course policies, schedules, assignments, and participation expectations may unintentionally disadvantage working learners or overlook expertise developed beyond campus. They will then identify one concrete, work-aware revision that preserves academic rigor while increasing transparency, validation, and access. The session invites feedback on the tool’s clarity, usefulness, and adaptability across undergraduate biology contexts and is intended as a first step toward piloting and evaluating work-aware teaching practices.
In response to generative AI, we redesigned an undergraduate Microbiology writing assignment into a process-based framework that consists of a series of interconnected activities integrating content learning, scientific literacy, communication, peer engagement, and responsible AI use. Our framework generates multiple opportunities enabling instructors to observe student learning throughout the writing process. Students progress through four scaffolded stages: collaborative pathogen research that builds content knowledge and classroom community; primary literature analysis and peer discussion that strengthen scientific literacy and communication; visual transmission-cycle development that promotes synthesis and science communication; and iterative drafting and revision that incorporates AI-supported feedback, writing center support, and self-reflection. These activities are graded for completion, providing opportunity for formative engagement. By combining established instructional practices into a unified sequence, this framework enabled us to redesign our assignment to meet the challenges and opportunities of AI by generating evidence of student learning and engagement throughout the writing process.
Microbiology education often emphasizes the pathogen while giving less attention to the host and environment components of the epidemiological triad. This workshop introduces strategies to help students explore how biology, public health, and social systems interact to influence disease outcomes. Participants will examine the relationships between microbiology, racism, stigma, and health inequities using the historical case study of epidemic typhus and the 1917 Bath Riots. Attendees will develop strategies for incorporating inclusive, trauma-informed approaches that support student engagement while addressing complex topics in microbiology classrooms.
Authentic research and experiential learning experiences are critical in undergraduate student retention and success. However, connecting students to the best opportunity for their educational goals, particularly under resource-limited conditions, is challenging. We started an annual departmental open-house event, called BioCrawl, where we open our teaching and research labs for two hours on a Friday afternoon to allow students to explore all the opportunities we offer. Through the voluntary participant survey implemented at each event, we have learned the following: First, we were able to engage first-year students with assistance from their professors. Second, current research students are enthusiastic and very effective spokespersons for undergraduate research. Third, we can leverage this event to network with other campus units, such as enrollment management to combat the potential declining enrollment concern. In summary, this new tradition is enhancing the transparency for current and prospective students to pursue these high impact learning experiences.
The rapid expansion of the biotechnology industry has created an increasing demand for skilled laboratory technicians with industry-recognized competencies. To address this workforce need, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology developed Biotech Launch, an innovative community college partnership designed to prepare students for immediate entry into Alabama's growing biotechnology workforce. Biotech Launch is a two-semester experiential learning program that combines classroom instruction, hands-on laboratory training, industry-recognized credentialing, and paid internships. During the first semester, students complete a 15-week training program that emphasizes essential biotechnology laboratory skills, including micropipetting, solution preparation, aseptic technique, molecular biology techniques, laboratory documentation, quality systems, and professional workplace competencies. Students also prepare for the Biotechnician Aptitude and Competency Exam (BACE), an industry-recognized credential that serves as Alabama's biotechnology Career Readiness Indicator. Students who successfully complete the training phase transition to paid internships with biotechnology companies and research laboratories, where they apply their skills in authentic laboratory settings. Since its launch, the program has demonstrated strong student success and workforce outcomes. Participants have consistently achieved BACE pass rates that exceed the national average while completing the credential in substantially less time than traditional preparation pathways. Most graduates have secured biotechnology internships, providing direct pathways into employment or continued education within the life sciences. Biotech Launch demonstrates the effectiveness of combining community college education, employer partnerships, competency-based training, and paid work-based learning to strengthen the biotechnology workforce pipeline. This model offers a scalable framework for developing a diverse, highly skilled workforce capable of meeting the evolving needs of the biotechnology industry while expanding access to high-quality STEM careers.
In large STEM classrooms (100+ students), establishing belonging and instructor presence is vital for retention. Yet, traditional icebreakers can induce severe performance anxiety, while institutions require early engagement data for Census reporting. This assignment replaces traditional icebreakers with a private, asynchronous introduction video to balance student connection, digital equity, and course logistics. During week one, students complete a low-stakes introduction video. I tailor prompts by academic standing, contrasting freshman transitions with senior professional career goals, to better align future lecture examples with student interests. For privacy and equity, students use unlisted YouTube links, Canvas Studio, or alternative PowerPoint recordings. This functions as technical onboarding and reduces LMS storage capacity issues. Crucially, it builds a permanent archive I review to learn names and track student progress across multiple years. The assignment consistently yields a 95%+ Census completion rate, drops subsequent tech errors under 5%, and eliminates first-week anxiety.
Like many colleges and universities, incoming freshmen at our small liberal arts college may not necessarily be prepared with foundational knowledge in chemistry, math, or biology to succeed in STEM coursework. Here, we aimed to address students' knowledge gaps and their feelings of inadequacy by incorporating a multidisciplinary, course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) into their first semester. Students examined endocrine disruptor (ED) chemicals previously found in the regional Clinch River on the development of zebrafish larvae. Students identified pollutants of interest, calculated a dosage to treat the embryos, and performed biological tests following ED challenge. Overall, students found the course challenging but rewarding, with several stating they were interested in becoming more involved in research on campus. This CURE was an important pilot program for engaging students in “hard” science, providing access to regionally relevant research experiences, and building foundational knowledge for success in later semesters.
Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) are often heavily constrained and lack the clinical relevance needed to inspire pre-health majors. To address these issues, we developed BUDDY (Bioinformatic Utility for Diagnostic Discovery in Yeast), an accessible bioinformatic web app. BUDDY transforms a precision medicine bottleneck, the millions of uncharacterized human Variants of Uncertain Significance (VUS), into an opportunity for student-led inquiry. While yeast is an excellent model for functionally testing conserved human variants, executing the bioinformatics needed to identify target variants and genes would consume limited teaching lab sessions. BUDDY eliminates this hurdle by seamlessly retrieving variants, identifying orthologs, aligning sequences, rendering 3D protein overlays, integrating machine-learning pathogenicity predictions, and automating CRISPR/Cas9 oligonucleotide design. Finally, BUDDY utilizes multimodal AI to help design cost-efficient, safety-conscious experiments, typically by leveraging established yeast phenotypes to test if a VUS causes conditional growth defects linked to the target gene.
When developing an undergraduate immunology course, instructors often face the challenge of identifying appropriate laboratory activities. There is no centralized collection of undergraduate-friendly immunology labs, and the high cost of reagents poses another obstacle, particularly at resource-limited institutions. As a result, most instructors develop their own activities from scratch. The ImmunoReach community is addressing this need by building a searchable database of classroom-tested immunology labs that can be readily incorporated into undergraduate courses. The database includes lab skill-focused exercises, kit-based labs, bioinformatics activities, and simulations. Each entry includes procedures, estimated reagent costs, learning outcomes, and the names of instructors who have implemented the activity. Our goal is not just to provide protocols for performing a technique, but also suggestions for integrating it into one’s course. Together, these resources aim to lower barriers to incorporating laboratories into undergraduate immunology courses and to foster collaboration and resource sharing within the community.
Traditional grading has a variety of issues, including statistical flaws, fostering a fixed mindset, and inaccurately representing students’ knowledge. Furthermore, the system was founded in the era of industrialization and may disproportionately impact lower-income and underrepresented students. Alternative grading systems have been shown to foster a growth mindset, provide timely formative feedback, and encourage student ownership. Specifications Grading is one alternative method in which students demonstrate proficiency in stated learning objectives and relies less on a few high-stakes exams or assessments. I have designed a Specifications grading system based on twenty learning objectives adopted from the ASM Curriculum Guidelines for Microbiology, using an approach that requires demonstration of proficiency of the learning outcomes, journal article summaries, and exams that modify the number of specifications you have passed. Students generally enjoyed the schema, which reduced their stress and gave them the freedom to learn the material at their own pace.
Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) expand access to authentic research and help students build skills for graduate study and workforce preparation. This is especially important at teaching focused, access-oriented institutions, where many students enter the workforce directly after completing their undergraduate degree. We are developing an interdisciplinary CURE in two upper-division courses, microbiology and animal physiology, investigating how different food sources affect fish gut microbiomes. In the animal physiology course, students conduct feeding studies and identify biochemical pathways associated with different food environments using metagenomics. In the microbiology course, students use the samples to characterize and sequence isolate bacterial species. Both courses will integrate Oxford Nanopore MinION long-read sequencing and KBase for genomic and metagenomic analysis. We will share the course design, discuss implementation challenges, and solicit feedback from biology educators interested in microbiome research, genomics, bioinformatics, interdisciplinary CUREs, or workforce-aligned teaching.
‘Soft skills’ has become a buzz term for good reason. The ability to communicate is essential and especially important in the sciences where students regularly present and discuss their work. Unfortunately, though, according to many industry partners, students are often entering the workforce without these crucial skills. As a professor in Communication Studies, I began working closely with our college’s science department through the NSF funded EPIIC Faculty Fellow Program. For my externship in this role, I partnered with Bioscience Core Skills Institute to create micro-credentials focusing on spoken communication, written communication, and reading comprehension. I will share my experience as an EPIIC fellow and professor working with an industry partner to define the important role communication plays in all fields of study. I will explore ways professors in the sciences can integrate classroom opportunities to practice communication skills and ways to utilize micro-credentials for student success.
Dental caries is among the most common infectious diseases worldwide, yet students often struggle to connect microbial physiology with tooth decay. To address this gap, we developed a hands-on oral microbiology laboratory activity for undergraduate students that integrates three techniques: the Snyder Test for acid production and caries susceptibility, Sucrose Gelatin Agar for biofilm formation, and capsule staining to visualize structures involved in bacterial adherence and survival. Students isolate, differentiate, and identify cariogenic bacteria, including Lactobacillus spp. and oral streptococci, while examining traits that contribute to dental plaque development and disease progression. Conducted over multiple laboratory sessions using standard microbiology equipment and supplies, the exercise links microbial characteristics to oral health outcomes, reinforcing concepts of virulence, host interactions, and infectious disease. Emphasis on laboratory bio-safety and the safe handling of unknown organisms further strengthens student understanding of best microbiological practices.
The Gateway Program is a cohort-based program for first-generation, underrepresented, and low-socioeconomic-status urban students designed to minimize barriers to success in the first year of college, such as attrition from STEM majors. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate and strengthen Gateway Program students' STEM identity, self-efficacy, and persistence. Cycle 1 explored students' beliefs within a traditional introductory biology lab course and its effect on persistence intentions. Cycle 2 introduced the Tiny Earth Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) to assess effects on STEM identity development and persistence. Findings showed Tiny Earth CURE participation strengthened students' sense of belonging, resilience, perception of their role as scientific contributors, and personal interest in STEM, enhancing motivation to persist among cohorted students from historically excluded communities. This study is among the first to describe the synergistic benefits of pairing a cohort-based program with a CURE for historically excluded STEM students.
Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) have been successfully implemented nationwide, demonstrating gains in students' self-efficacy and science identity. A majority of CUREs have Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) as instructors, including Undergraduate peer Learning Assistants (ULAs). GTAs and ULAs play a critical role in delivering CUREs and often receive little professional development (PD) to support their teaching. There is a critical need to train GTAs and ULAs in pedagogical techniques tailored to the CURE context. The potential to expand research and professional development opportunities in CUREs significantly impacts student trajectories. The CURE TAPESTRy fellowship program is designed to bring together various facilitators and educators across institutions (public/private, R1/R2 universities). The program has had 33 participants to date. CURE TAPESTRy fellows (2025-26 cohort) have been on a path to design PD programs for GTAs and ULAs to develop transferable skills such as mentorship and leadership, which are essential for student-based teaching. We developed training modules, including front-loaded workshops/bootcamps (1-2 days before the academic term begins), just-in-time training embedded in weekly meetings, hybrid approaches that combine upfront and ongoing support, and a toolkit with resources. The strategies of training apart from research mentoring, grading, and lab safety logistics include pedagogical content knowledge specific to CUREs and professional development skill assessment. To explore the institutional diversity of training plans among CURE-TAPESTRy fellows, we distributed a survey. This survey across multiple institutions gathered data on the initiatives that are being implemented and their current status. In conclusion, formal and structured training programs for GTAs and ULAs are essential for the successful delivery of CUREs. These experiences provide meaningful benefits for students while simultaneously advancing the professional trajectories of the teaching assistants. Our objective is to equip CURE instructors with a comprehensive suite of adaptable training options tailored to their specific institutional needs.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) stores genetic information required for the development, function, and reproduction of all living organisms. The double helical structure of DNA is formed through complementary base pairing between nucleotides (adenine-thymine and guanine-cytosine). Because DNA cannot be directly observed with the naked eye, it can be difficult for learners to connect the structure with the biological functions. To reinforce undergraduate students’ understanding of DNA in a Bacterial Genetics course, we developed a tactile DNA Puzzle Builder activity that models how the structure of DNA supports its role as a genetic information storage molecule. The activity uses laser cut, color coded wooden puzzle pieces and an instructional guide that requires a foundational understanding of DNA structure. In the first phase, students assemble the four deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs) from their constituent components: a deoxyribose sugar, nitrogenous base, and three phosphate groups. In the second phase, students model DNA assembly by removing two phosphate groups from each dNTP and joining nucleotides through phosphodiester bond formation. Students then construct the complementary DNA strand by applying correct base-pairing rules and indicating hydrogen bonds. Finally, they identify the 5’ and 3’ ends of each strand to demonstrate strand polarity, a key concept in DNA replication. The activity can be completed in pairs or small groups, and individual models can be combined to generate larger unique DNA molecules at the classroom level. Student feedback was positive and assessment data from course quizzes indicated an improved understanding of DNA structure-function relationships. These findings suggest that hands-on, tactile learning activities can effectively reinforce foundational concepts in bacterial genetics.
Immunology is a subject that many learners find difficult to grasp or gain interest in due to the perception that it is a difficult subject and contains content that students have difficulty relating to. Many students avoid taking immunology or perform relatively poorly compared to other classes when they do. Many instructors, on the other hand, find it challenging to create content that is both interesting to students and achieves the goal of educating students about core concepts in immunology. The goal of this Microbrew is to introduce instructors to a tried-and-tested approach to teaching immunology that involves students creating games about assigned topics and playing these games in class. This approach differs from other classroom gamification approaches, where instructors create or find games. Key concepts covered in this Microbrew can be adapted for microbiology and biology courses, providing instructors with a practical approach to increasing student engagement and success.
Probiotic foods and the perceived health benefits that they offer continue to be of interest to many consumers, including students in undergraduate microbiology courses. Many of these foods bear label claims about ‘live and active’ cultures and their expected quantities, offering tractable systems for students to apply basic culturing techniques to quantify microbes in these products. A laboratory exercise was designed and implemented in which students enumerated bacteria and yeast recovered from probiotic foods purchased from local grocery stores. Label claims on food packages were used to guide enumeration of bacteria and yeast for food items selected by students. Overall, microbial counts in certain brands of kombucha, kimchi, kefir, and yogurt were comparable with label claims, while microbial counts in a probiotic drink and some kombucha were substantially lower than expected, offering an opportunity for students to evaluate limits of detection, and critically assess label claims on popular food items.
There is a misalignment between the identities of scientists highlighted in STEM curricula and those of students in the classroom. To address this gap, a range of initiatives, such as BioGraphI and Scientist Spotlights, have been developed to better align STEM content with student identities, increasing students’ sense of belonging, persistence, and relatability to scientists. Benefits to instructors include a positive impact on teaching, self-efficacy, and connection with their students. There is very little research investigating the experience of counterstereotypical scientists in the classroom. This research study focuses on the perceived benefits and challenges counterstereotypical scientists encounter in the classroom. Thematic analysis of structured interviews of 15 countersterotypical guest scientists in different classroom settings suggests that scientists are willing to share their identities and feel personal satisfaction interacting with students. Our research study provides a deeper understanding of the classroom experience for counterstereotypical scientists, highlighting both benefits and challenges.
While biological professional societies have historically focused on sharing primary research, their missions have increasingly expanded to encompass education and trainee professional development. Current society-led teaching initiatives—such as pre-conference workshops, dedicated education sections, and curated resource repositories—often rely on short-term "transmission" models and vulnerable external funding. These traditional approaches frequently lack the long-term, context-specific support necessary for instructors to enact sustained, evidence-based pedagogical changes. Drawing on our collective experiences with the cross-society Promoting Active Learning and Mentoring (PALM) Network, we highlight the critical value of long-term, community-based mentorship over traditional, one-off workshops. To better support teaching and mentorship, we recommend that professional societies and conference organizers: 1) adopt Faculty Learning Community (FLC) and Community of Practice (CoP) models; 2) fully integrate teaching sessions into main conference programming; 3) provide dedicated material and digital infrastructure; and 4) actively serve as "matchmakers" to pair educators with expert pedagogical mentors. Inconsistent teaching support across biological societies signals a troubling undervaluation of education, which can negatively impact the pipeline of future scientific research. By collaborating to implement sustainable, long-term teaching support, professional societies can elevate the role of educators and secure the future of the discipline.
Environmental justice is an increasingly important component of environmental and public health education, yet students often struggle to connect classroom concepts to real-world community challenges. To address this gap, community-based environmental justice projects were integrated into an undergraduate Environmental Toxicology and Health Laboratory course. Through partnerships with local organizations, students investigated issues such as air quality, soil contamination, urban green spaces, and environmental health disparities in underserved neighborhoods. Students collected and analyzed environmental data, engaged with community stakeholders, and applied concepts including exposure assessment, risk characterization, and environmental monitoring to authentic scenarios. This Microbrew will present a scalable model for integrating environmental justice and community-engaged learning into laboratory courses. Attendees will explore project design, assessment strategies, lessons learned, and student outcomes, and will leave with adaptable activities and resources for environmental science, microbiology, and public health education.
Many undergraduates are excited about research and interested in graduate school, yet many of them reach those opportunities with little or no wet lab experience. In my teaching and mentoring in food science and microbiology, I routinely work with students who are motivated but unsure of how to handle basic lab techniques or what is expected in a research environment. This microbrew will share practical, classroom, and lab-based ideas for helping these students build confidence, core laboratory skills, and a clearer sense of what research work looks like.
At Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Argentina, Microbial Physiology and Genetics are taught as independent courses in consecutive semesters, although both explain the same biological processes from complementary perspectives. In this Microbrew, we propose an integrated teaching strategy for undergraduate Biotechnology students in which laboratory activities from both courses are linked through common biological questions. In the first module, students will compare UV sensitivity in recA⁺ and recA⁻ strains, and then investigate DNA damage repair by monitoring SOS induction with a transcriptional reporter fusion. In the second, they will analyze the physiological consequences of defective lipoic acid biosynthesis—auxotrophy and impaired sporulation—and then complement lipM mutants through natural transformation of Bacillus subtilis. This framework could be extended to additional topics, including light-regulated motility, two-component signaling, and biofilm formation. During this Microbrew, participants will discuss this approach and help refine the activities before classroom implementation.
“Glow Up” (BIOL 3090) reimagined a standard pGLO transformation lab into a collaborative undergraduate research experience at UNT Dallas. Although the pGLO transformation system is widely used, it is almost always qualitative. This CURE redesigned pGLO as a quantitative research platform in which transformation efficiency, measured as GFP-positive colony counts per microgram of plasmid DNA, was used to assess bacterial response to hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress. Each student selected and investigated a different experimental variable (essential oils or antioxidant controls), performed quantitative analysis and comparative interpretation across conditions, and contributed individual data to a collective dataset. Preliminary findings revealed differential antioxidant responses across treatments, including reproducible rescue effects under oxidative stress. Students shared these findings through presentations at an institutional research symposium, demonstrating scientific communication as a course outcome. Attendees will gain practical strategies for redesigning traditional transformation labs as quantitative CUREs without requiring specialized instrumentation.
Grading quantitative data analysis in laboratory courses is often inconsistent because each student generates unique experimental data, making it difficult for teaching assistants (TAs) to verify calculations efficiently and accurately. This challenge can result in variable grading and overlooked calculation errors. To address this issue, we developed standardized Excel templates for student data analysis and a Python script that automatically calculates the expected results from each student's experimental data. The script compares the expected values with student submissions, allowing graders to quickly identify discrepancies without manually checking every calculation. This workflow has substantially reduced grading time while improving grading consistency and accuracy across multiple TAs. Students are also allowed to revise and resubmit their analyses after receiving feedback, creating an additional opportunity to identify and correct calculation errors. This approach demonstrates how simple automation can improve assessment quality while supporting student learning in quantitative laboratory courses.
Focus on industry requested skills development has led to several new innovations to increase retention, STEM identity, and workforce readiness. Introducing research and STEM based skills to undergraduates at the beginning of their educational journey is highly impactful for first generation, low income college students. CUREs (Course based Undergraduate Research Experiences) are used to allow students to participate in the research experience and gain hands-on scientific knowledge. Partnerships with local industry, non-profits, and educational institutions have led to opportunities for our community college students to participate in internships, job shadowing, and summer research experiences. These partnerships have also led to the creation of skills-based badges and microcredentials focused on biotechnology. These badges and microcredentials are verified credentials that allow students to provide proof of their STEM workforce related skills. These innovations have increased retention, increased the students’ STEM identity, aided in transfer, and enabled students to become technicians.
Have you been looking for a way to incorporate data analysis into your classroom? In the Tiny Earth CURE, students search for novel antibiotic-producing soil microbes and record their findings in an electronic lab notebook with the option for high-quality entries to be promoted to the Tiny Earth Public Database. The public data serve are available for any student to ask and answer research questions. This Microbrew demonstrates the data available on the Public Database, how to search, sort, filter, and export this data, and what tools are available and possible for analysis. Participants will brainstorm what questions the database allows them to ask and ways to incorporate it into their microbiology courses, such as helping students generate research questions, compare results to past student findings, gain computational skills, or learn concepts in microbiology and natural products discovery.
Microbiology is foundational to nursing education, yet many students approach it with a “learn it now, forget it later” mindset, limiting long-term retention and transfer to clinical practice. This Microbrew introduces Looking Forward to Nursing, a classroom framework that explicitly connects weekly microbiology concepts to authentic nursing practice throughout the course. Instead of presenting clinical relevance as isolated examples, the framework integrates nursing applications throughout the traditional microbiology sequence, including microbial diversity, host defenses, and infectious diseases. This continuous connection promotes meaningful, context-driven learning. Designed for instructors teaching microbiology to nursing and other allied health students, the approach is easily adaptable to diverse institutional settings. Participants will leave with a practical framework, implementation strategies, and examples they can immediately incorporate into their own courses to increase student motivation, strengthen professional identity, and foster durable learning that better prepares future healthcare professionals.
Want to use case studies? Here, we present a case study designed for upper-division courses that teaches diabetes metabolism by following the compelling story of a patient initially misdiagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, integrating various learning activities. This case has been extensively tested, showing significant learning gains. Attendees of this workshop will experience an abbreviated form of the case study to learn about diabetes and outline the social justice implications of misdiagnosis. Attendees will walk through data gathering and analysis strategies to measure learning gains and will be able to apply this experience to integrate case studies into their teaching.
The Mycological Curriculum for Education and Discovery (Myco-Ed) engages students in fungal biology and comparative genomics by isolating environmental fungi and performing phenotype assays. Data are shared via iNaturalist to support research at the Joint Genome Institute. Since its pilot 2.5 years ago, Myco-Ed has trained over 600 students across 30 classrooms, resulting in 1,100+ observations and 50+ novel fungal species sequenced. A new initiative aims to understand fungal drought tolerance through student research. Myco-Ed is currently recruiting instructors to participate in this collaborative effort to bridge critical knowledge gaps. Join this session to learn more about MycoEd!
Think you need a coding background or a budget to build custom software for your course? You don't. In this hands-on workshop, you will vibe code: describe what you want in plain English and let AI build it. Using MicroID Lab Guide, a free, open-source unknown bacterial-identification app, you will fork (duplicate) the code, deploy your own copy, and customize it for your class without writing code yourself. Bring a laptop and access to an AI coding platform (Claude, ChatGPT/Codex, Google Antigravity). You will leave with a working, course-ready tool and a repeatable method for building zero-cost classroom technology.
How can we create equitable assessments that accurately measure student learning? This workshop explores how scaffolded summative assessments aligned with learning taxonomies can promote higher-order thinking, improve student performance, and enhance transparency in STEM education. Drawing on evidence from a sophomore-level undergraduate cell biology course, participants will examine strategies for preparing students for cognitively tiered assessments, evaluating performance reliably, and using assessment data to monitor learning. Findings show improved overall achievement and stronger performance on higher-order thinking questions, particularly among lower-performing students. Attendees will leave with practical, evidence-based approaches for designing transparent, equitable assessments that support student success.
Vaccine communication has always been challenging, from the belief that one might sprout horns and hooves from the smallpox vaccine, to the misconception that vaccines cause autism, to current confusion when immunization guidelines diverge from the recommendations of established medical and public health authorities. Students preparing for careers across the health sciences—nursing, medicine, physician assistant, veterinary, dental, and allied health programs—need tools to address questions about vaccine safety and efficacy. Every student will face these conversations with friends and family in a world where loved ones may be influenced by misinformation. This roundtable guides participants through scaffolded learning activities designed to help students navigate these tricky discussions. Participants then engage in a role-play simulating vaccine conversations with individuals who are curious, cautious, or convinced, in either a clinical or personal setting. Participants will leave with all scaffolding activities and an outline for adapting the activity for their courses.
This interactive mini-workshop demonstrates experimental approaches to teaching oral infections and antimicrobial salivary peptides in undergraduate microbiology courses. Participants will engage in guided activities simulating antimicrobial assays and host–microbe interactions to explore innate immune defenses. The session emphasizes active learning, inclusive teaching strategies, and practical implementation of laboratory-inspired exercises in lecture or hybrid settings. Attendees will leave with adaptable tools to enhance student engagement, conceptual understanding, and application of microbiological principles related to oral health and infection.
Many microbiology labs use series of biochemical testing to obtain a putative identification of a bacterial isolate's identity. The analysis of biochemical testing data becomes increasingly challenging when working with unknown microbial isolates. This is large part due to the fact that many, if not most, bacteria are not yet identified. BactID.com is a tool used to help students analyze these results and predict a putative bacterial identity when isolating bacteria from soil. This website was created using AI and serves as a example of how AI can be used to meet teaching challenges. Students enrolled in a Tiny Earth CURE lab used BactID.com in lab and provided feedback through a survey on how it connected to their course learning objective to apply appropriate microbiological methods to differentiate and identify microorganisms.
Biosafety and biosecurity are increasingly important for students entering the biological sciences, but these topics are often limited to laboratory safety training or briefly discussed within other courses. MICR 202, “Introduction to Biosafety and Biosecurity,” was developed to give undergraduate students a broader understanding of biological risks and the responsibilities associated with working in the biological sciences. This course asks students to consider how risks are assessed, managed, and communicated in real-world situations. Students explore these topics through workshops, case studies, discussions, and a culminating group presentation. Case studies examine laboratory accidents, emerging disease outbreaks, and the deliberate misuse of biological agents. Applied workshops cover personal protective equipment, biological safety cabinets, aseptic technique, risk assessment, emergency response planning, and public communication.
Although laboratory benchwork remains the superior way to educate future microbiologists, some students (e.g. non-microbiologists), circumstances (e.g. health or resource constraints) and concepts (such as those that are difficult to visualize) can justify an electronic simulation(s) if they actually enhance student learning. This roundtable is a place to : 1) Identify and compile list(s) of valuable electronic resources (especially those available at no cost and validated by peers) 2) Identify existing gaps where new electronic resource(s) simulations would be valuable. 3) Identify ways to validating that students actually performed the work in question given current and future AI technologies. A written list findings and resources will be available after this roundtable for those with an interest in this topic.
Cancer is a complex disease characterized by several hundred genetic alterations that lead to “hallmark” phenotypes. Understanding how natural selection plays a role in cancer development is challenging for undergraduate students because mutations that are advantageous at the cellular level are deleterious at the organismal level. Students must therefore reason about evolution principles across biological scales. In this microbrew, we describe a new educational board game and educational intervention designed to simulate the evolution of “hallmarks of cancer” by natural selection. We used an expanded framework for cancer genotypes and phenotypes that includes emergent, complex properties of cancer - from microbiomes to epigenetics to immune modulation. Designed for up to ten players, each cell (player) acquires mutations and hallmark phenotypes over time that influence fitness in the face of several rounds of selective agents. Its impact on student learning gains is presently underway.
Our current biology curriculum includes a three-course introductory series where the first course (BIO160) results in a bimodal distribution of grades. The group of students with the lower grades are roughly the same cohort of underprepared students that place into and take the remedial chemistry course. The biology introductory series is transitioning from three to only two courses and BIO160 will no longer be offered. Therefore, we designed a new course that allows these underprepared students to learn basic chemical and biological concepts in a single course and prime them to take General Chemistry I and General Biology I. Thus, this new interdisciplinary course becomes an essential experience that prepares students for studying STEM in college, and reduces barriers to STEM disciplines. To that end, we have developed a fully integrated introduction to scientific measurements, aiming to help students understand concepts, procedures and data analysis through the disciplinary lenses of both biology and chemistry. This course develops problem solving skills for students to be successful in STEM fields while also contributing to the science requirement of the general education curriculum for those students who ultimately decide to pursue a major outside of the sciences. Some of the challenges we encountered in the development of the course include significant alignment of schedules between the two instructors. In addition, the selection of topics required consultation with both departments, as well as negotiation of the lecture and lab times across disciplines. Furthermore, the instructors, a biologist and chemist, need to stretch across disciplines, which require extra preparation and consultation with each other. We seek inclusive pedagogies, aiming to reduce barriers for entry into STEM majors and ASMCUE serves as a great platform to gather feedback.
Viruses are ubiquitous molecular parasites whose productive and rapid infectious cycles make them ideal tools in molecular and evolutionary biology. While viruses have important roles in molecular biology, exploring environmental viral diversity offers an open-ended opportunity for undergraduate research. Here, I present a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) centered in the discovery of new cruciviruses —novel chimeric DNA viruses that encode an RNA virus protein, representing an extreme case of horizontal gene exchange. During this course, Biology undergraduate students become active researchers for a semester, by hunting for cruciviruses in familiar local environments (University campus, parks or backyard). Students work in groups to apply a series of molecular techniques (e.g. DNA extraction, PCR, cloning, sequencing) tailored at the discovery of viruses, and use computational tools for the characterization of their new viral genomes.
Background and Project Description: The University of Central Florida is a large (70,000+) metropolitan research institution (R1) that serves a diverse student body with a substantial number of transfer students. The Burnett School offers five undergraduate degree programs in life sciences. In response to a lack of student preparation at both the concept and course level, the School implemented tighter academic standards (progress policy; restricted access) to address these concerns. During this same time frame (2018-2026) UCF was held to a performance-based funding model driven by measures such as first year retention and four year first-time-in-college (FTIC) graduation rates. This Microbrew reviews student success data retrospectively across this timeline and evaluates any potential impact of these policies on student success metrics. A variety of data (enrollment, student academic progress, etc.) will be mapped over the period to seek to correlate these changes with increases in retention and graduation rates.
Student engagement on a holistic level can be difficult to achieve in large undergraduate STEM classes. Often, the level of engagement can be contributed to student previous exposure to content and educational background. Student motivation, specifically self-efficacy, and sense of belonging in the classroom can also be major contributors to student success. Each year, we classify 15% of the student cohort as ‘struggling students; ’ these are defined as students who performed poorly on initial assessments, accumulated class absences, or missed homework or classroom assignments. Here, we discuss strategies employed to initially identify and distinguish between the variety of students who struggle (or perceive themselves to struggle) throughout the entire semester of a large microbiology class. We highlight our success with improving student engagement, first by installing a simple, in-class reading check’ and also with the employment of several gamification strategies that were implemented throughout the semester.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Science Ambassador Fellowship is a professional development opportunity that connects science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educators with public health professionals to integrate public health concepts, practices, and resources into classrooms. As a 2024–2025 CDC Science Ambassador Fellow, I participated in an orientation at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, followed by a year-long collaboration with a cohort of educators and CDC scientists to explore how epidemiology, disease surveillance, outbreak investigations, and public health decision-making can enhance STEM education. In this microbrew, I will share my experiences as a fellow, including lessons learned from engaging with CDC facilities, scientists, and resources, as well as insights gained from developing and implementing public health-focused curriculum. Attendees will learn about opportunities for integrating CDC resources and public health perspectives into microbiology education, as well as pathways for pursuing professional development through the Science Ambassador program.
Agar art is a fun way to engage allied health students in microbiology. Students “paint” with microbes on agar plates. The goal of this study was to explore the success of integrating semester-long microbiology concepts into an agar art laboratory experience. Students completed standard laboratory experiments throughout the semester, including growth condition variations and differential media. They were required to keep a lab notebook, in which they recorded results and characteristics about various microbes. At the end of the semester, students completed an agar art lab experiment. They were given a “palate” of microbes, that were used throughout the semester, and a prompt that aligns with ASM agar art, such as “What brings you joy.” They then drew, with microbes, on agar. Students were given the option of using different agar plates and were allowed to grow their microbes at different temperatures. Making these decisions relied on a good lab notebook. For example, their red Serratia would be white if grown at the incorrect temperature. Their reports for this laboratory exercise required discussion of why they chose a particular temperature and medium. They were also required to consider how the microbes grew when placed next to each other. After submission of the lab report, students were given a survey about the agar art learning experience. 76 students were surveyed. 97% enjoyed the lab experience, 93% said they felt this was a fun way to incorporate some of the things they learned during the semester into an enjoyable lab experience and 93% also said that the agar art improved practical laboratory skills (e.g., aseptic technique, microscopy, culturing). Finally, 92% stated that agar art was a valuable experience to learning microbiology. In sum, agar art is not only fun, but it can also be used as an important learning tool for microbiology.
Microbiome science has broad applications in agriculture, human health, and environmental sustainability, yet educational opportunities often depend on laboratory-intensive experiences that can be difficult to implement in resource-limited settings. The Agricultural Microbiome Program (AMP) developed a series of art-, game-, and analogy-based activities that modeled key stages of the microbiome research pipeline, including microbial isolation, DNA amplification, and sequence analysis. Integrated into an informal learning environment, these activities transformed abstract concepts into interactive learning experiences. Participants in the 2026 cohort demonstrated significantly greater gains in microbiome knowledge and identification workflows than the 2025 cohort, highlighting the effectiveness of these approaches.
Research on peer feedback in higher education shows that it can significantly improve student success. Studies suggest that peer feedback exposes students to diverse perspectives and encourages them to reconsider assignment criteria, strengthening their revisions and future writing performance (Huisman et al., 2019; Jin et al., 2024). Effective peer-feedback processes focus on specific writing challenges, provide multiple comments on key issues, and use clear guidelines/rubrics (Gao et al., 2019). Recent research also highlights the importance of considering student characteristics, learning environments, and instructional design when implementing peer-feedback activities (Kerman et al., 2024). This study examined students’ perceptions of structured peer feedback in undergraduate microbiology and graduate education courses. Students participated in two feedback sessions and revised their work before final submission. Preliminary findings indicate that peer feedback promoted reflection, enhanced understanding, and exposed students to diverse perspectives. Challenges included vague comments, delayed responses, and lacking specific suggestions for improvement.
Early exposure to microbiology is often limited in many K-12 settings, which contributes to low awareness of microbes and microbiology-related career pathways. To support microbiology outreach and recruitment to our undergraduate Microbiology and Immunology program, we developed Microbe Memory Cards, a fun, interactive, and scalable educational game designed for community engagement and classroom use. The first card set that we developed focuses on commonly recognized bacterial pathogens that are familiar to most microbiologists, serving as an accessible entry point for younger students through visual recognition and name association rather than detailed mechanistic content. We selected a memory-matching game format since it encourages participation, collaboration, and curiosity in a low-pressure environment, making it particularly effective for informal science outreach events. While the initial card deck is intentionally simple and targeted toward younger learners, the project was designed to be modular and expandable to other microbiology topics to engage older or more advanced students. Microbe Memory Cards will be used in community outreach and educational settings as both a learning activity and a conversation starter, helping to normalize microbiology terminology and spark interest in the field. Preliminary outreach implementation demonstrated strong participant engagement and generated positive anecdotal feedback from learners and facilitators. Formal assessment using pre- and post-activity surveys is currently underway to evaluate changes in microbiology knowledge, interest, and perceptions of the activity. These findings will be presented at the conference. Overall, this project aims to use a game-based, adaptable educational tool to increase engagement, raise awareness of microbiology, and support recruitment efforts across a wide range of educational levels.
MicrobéMon is like Pokémon with microbes! This innovative project asks students to choose a microbe relevant to their interests and to research its structure and properties. The goal? To create a microbial trading card for use in a final showdown, where students demonstrate their understanding of their “villain” (pathogen) or “hero” (beneficial microbe) by predicting how it will survive or be defeated when exposed to various environmental insults. With the goal of teaching students how to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) ethically and to fact-check scientific information against peer-reviewed sources, the project is run in carefully guided phases and includes explicit requirements for transparent use of AI and for documenting specifically where each piece of information was found in a book or journal article. The process and outcomes of a preliminary run of this project will be presented, and advice is sought on improvements and useful measurement metrics for its effectiveness.
Microbiology is a core course in many STEM programs of study where student success significantly depends on their understanding of the underlying concepts of mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Yet the incoming students of microbiology often have insufficient background knowledge of these fields. Furthermore, they do not necessarily see the connections between these disciplines and Microbiology which further exacerbates the problem. To remedy this, we focused on the integrative approach to teaching undergraduate course of Microbiology that incorporated the concepts of other disciplines that were essential for the comprehensive understanding of course material. Based on the course outcomes, physics and math learning tools that we created and integrated into the course proved to be a significant factor in improving student performance in Microbiology, enhancing their learning experience, and deepening connections between the STEM fields. This microbrew will focus on the development of tools and strategies for teaching integrative course of Microbiology.
Community colleges provide skilled workers for local industry and prepare students to further their academic careers. Thus, to optimize student success, institutions need to provide high-quality education that trains the workforce at all levels. Herein, I discuss program growth of a skills-based curriculum at a community college for university transfer. Northwest Arkansas Community College offers a certificate of proficiency in Pre-Biotech, technical certificate in Biotech, and a General Technology AAS. These degrees offer intensive skills-based academia coursework, focused on skills that local biotechnology industry partners require. Within the coursework, students can earn microcredentials in topics such as Cell Culture, CURE Research Presentation, and Safety and SOP. To further enhance student opportunities, NorthWest Arkansas Community College is currently developing 2+2 degree pathways with other four-year institutions, specifically in biotechnology. For example, Arkansas State University has a B.S in Biotechnology, allowing students to transfer to continue their education.
Upper-level microbiology courses like medical microbiology are historically best taught using realistic case studies, in-class activities, and laboratory-centered content. However, students struggle on assessments due to the content depth and breadth. This project’s goal is to investigate the usefulness of artificial intelligence (AI) in improving learning outcomes and the student experience in medical microbiology. This will initially be accomplished by developing prompts that result in innovative methods to assess student knowledge and encourage learning in the classroom. Different AI models will be tested to understand the effect of the model on AI output. The results of this initial exploration of AI-enhanced learning will be tested in a medical microbiology course and compared to historical non-AI assessments and activities.
When I had to adapt a microbiology lab class for a condensed summer course, The schedule did not allow time to write the last report. Since I knew at this point that my students could write lab reports, I came up with an alternative assessment modality. My students read reviews on the project followed by a round-table discussion about how to frame the data and report. It became evident to the students that the data, discussion and the design of additional experiments depended on how the introduction and hypothesis were framed (and there were three very different ways to frame this report). The students got to collaborate and give feedback for the first time. I will now adapt this to a larger class (5 vs 80 students) and have designed a worksheet that will facilitate discussion between small groups where they will create different potential outlines for a lab report.
Learn about a full-term project focused on science research, science literacy, and science communication, which also incorporates the use of an AI platform. Students begin by selecting their own topic which relates to course content, and they then run their topic through the AI platform to generate research questions. One of the AI generated questions is selected and one of the linked references is read and analyzed. A journal analysis assignment is completed, and then the student decides how to communicate the science to an audience of their choice. Their completed communication project is shared with the class. Finally, at the end of the term the student must relate their project to the content learned during the course. Completion of the project allows students to better understand the process of science and the challenges of communicating science concepts.
A question that I often get as a microbiology instructor for an undergraduate medical laboratory science (MLS) program is "What do I need to know for the exam?". Students often seem to focus more "getting an A" rather than striving to master course content that they will need to know to become entry-level competent as an MLS. As an educator, I am interested implementing activities that encourage students to adopt a mastery orientation vs a performance orientation. One activity I have recently implemented in an effort to promote mastery orientation and intrinsic motivation is the Exam Wrapper. After taking each exam, students reflect on ways they prepared for the exam (amount of time spent preparing, type of resources used, etc.) and how they could better prepare for future exams. I'm hoping this intentional reflection will help to foster intrinsic motivation and reinforce a mastery mindset by way of increasing students' metacognition.
In advanced fields including immunology, it is challenging for educators to balance the influx of terminology and techniques with developing engaging curriculum. Educators, particularly in microbiology and immunology classes are faced with integrating and transmitting information from the arena into the classroom in a way that is simply understandable by the students. We have developed a student-as partners program (SAP) model in an upper-level Immunology class where a former student from the immunology was involved in the course to observe faculty teaching. The classroom observation was followed by weekly one-to -one meeting between student partner and the instructor. As a result of this collaboration, student partner and faculty co-create meaningful and effective teaching and learning experiences. The student partner regularly provided a formative and summative feedback throughout the semester which allowed the faculty to make changes in the classroom teaching including flipped classroom environments and use of active learning strategies such as small group discussions and concept maps. Student partner was actively involved in creating focus groups and understanding student issues in the class rooms. This resulted in enhanced student success and student-centered teaching. Additionally, it inspired students to make a difference in the classroom and do well in the class tests and overall performance in the classroom. Furthermore, SAP allowed us to develop a strong understanding of our student’s learning needs and vision. Mid-term surveys and end of semester surveys and student evaluations indicated that SAP is indeed an important and innovative approach to learn upper-level immunology course.
Within elective study course “Technologies for Bioenergy and Biomolecule Production” each semester at least one student is encouraged to take lead and act as a lecturer by preparing a lecture on topic related to individual Thesis work but fitting within the boundaries of the course thematics. In study year 2024/2025 a student developing Thesis on synthesis and study of the properties of chitosan-cyanoguanidine derivatives produced a 1.5 h long lecture on valuable molecules from chitosan. The theoretical lecture was supplemented with groupwork and attendee presentations. In 2025/2026 a student working with biomaterial production from biomass fibers prepared a lecture on sustainable packaging. The 40 min lecture was supplemented with a practical tour in a scientific institute where the student worked. Students acting as teachers received additional credits. The key challenges included the extra time investment required for student-teachers but was awarded as practical experience in work with auditorium.
Non-traditional project-based assessments can make learning more memorable and engaging because students can explore topics of interest and apply their knowledge in creative ways. This Microbrew will describe a unique assessment strategy being used in a biochemistry and molecular biology course where students work in groups to create a drug education video. Students conduct research about a drug therapeutic and explain how it works at molecular, cellular, and systemic levels to treat a specific medical condition. The video assessment format encourages creativity but also ensures students gain a deeper summative understanding of the subject matter by applying course content to their own personalized project, while also developing science communication skills. This evaluation approach has the potential to be adapted to diverse learning environments where students are exploring molecular, cell and systems processes and would be of interest for instructors who wish to embed multimedia or non-traditional assessment in their course.
Students entering college, especially first-year students, often struggle to adapt to the pace and volume of STEM coursework. Besides mastering course content, many need support developing effective study strategies. While academic success centers, tutoring, and time-management resources are useful, research shows that peer-to-peer learning opportunities significantly enhance student success. Collaborative studying and informal study groups can improve academic performance, strengthen understanding of concepts, and provide critical support for students facing academic challenges. However, in diverse populations that include both commuter and residential students, forming study groups outside of class can be difficult, particularly for freshmen who are still building social and academic networks. To address this, we are testing an in-class “study buddy” tool that helps students connect with peers based on course enrollment, topics, and availability. The tool will be implemented in introductory biology courses during Fall 2026, and will use feedback to assess its impact on student engagement.
Teach Together is a collaborative teaching model at Nightingale College in which a general education instructor and a nursing instructor align their courses' learning objectives and topics to bridge foundational knowledge and clinical nursing practice. The approach emphasizes meaningful intersections that embrace intentionality over totality, which makes learning authentic and professionally relevant. Here, we paired Microbiology with Concepts of Nursing III, using coordinated instruction, cross-disciplinary guest teaching, and explicit discussion of how microbiology concepts inform patient care. Rather than operating in parallel silos, the two instructors work in tandem: the microbiology instructor previews how content connects to learners' professional futures, while the nursing instructor reinforces it from a clinical perspective. Science instructors teaching learners outside their discipline often struggle to make content feel relevant to those learners' goals. This session provides a practical strategy for increasing learner engagement, strengthening career relevance, and fostering partnerships across academic programs.
Microbial morphology, growth, and metabolism are foundational topics in both introductory and advanced microbiology courses. Yet these concepts are often taught in isolation, leaving students with limited understanding of their role in pathogenesis and disease outcomes. This workshop will explore how clinically relevant pathogens can be used to connect microbial traits with mechanisms of infection, helping students move beyond memorization toward meaningful application of core microbiological principles.
Traditional writing assignments are vulnerable to circumvention through generative AI. To address this in our online Microbiology lab, we redesigned a writing assignment to intentionally integrate AI while emphasizing the writing process and final product. Students collaborate with AI to develop a script for a 5-minute video comparing Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus, then create illustrations and record the presentation. The drafting process encourages students to reflect on their knowledge, critically evaluate AI outputs, develop AI literacy, and engage in self-reflection. Creating the final video further reinforces learning through verbal and visual communication. Survey results suggest the assignment strengthened content understanding, highlighted the importance of responsible AI use, and increased student confidence in prompt engineering. However, the mutable AI landscape requires continual adaptation of our reimagined writing assignment. Ongoing refinement focuses on preserving pedagogical value, fostering critical thinking and self-reflection, and adapting to emerging AI capabilities and student needs.
Community college faculty serve as a valuable link between students and their opportunities in employment and continued education. Yet, we would benefit from improved insight into new research and innovation, technical skillsets, and workforce expectations. Collaborations between academia and external partners are a terrific source of enrichment for faculty that translate to relevant classroom and lab experiences for students. Through an externship supported by grant funding from the NSF EPIIC (Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity) program, I had the opportunity to interact with regional partners through facility tours, observation, and hands-on research. The experience provided a deeper understanding of the broad applications of biotechnology and spawned ideas for the classroom and curriculum to build relevant skills, provide avenues for undergraduate research, and, more importantly, capture student interest in the positive impact they can have in their community.
BioQUEST is a long-standing (over 35 years) 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that serves as a support community for STEM educators interested in reforming their teaching and learning practices. BioQUEST’s mission is to build a transformative, collaborative community that empowers teachers to drive innovation in STEM education for all students. In support of this mission, BioQUEST provides diverse services to the reform community, including project support, professional development, open educational resources publishing, and the QUBES platform - an online space for collaboration around teaching and learning scholarship. This poster will provide an overview of these services through a series of examples, highlighting opportunities for faculty to connect with the community and participate in reform activities.
Maintaining a laboratory notebook helps students hone their record-keeping and meet the ASM curriculum guidelines for scientific thinking and laboratory skills 1d, “Document and communicate the methods, results, and conclusions.” However, grading a laboratory notebook is time-consuming for the instructor and, for hand-written lab notebooks, there is an additional challenge of reading student handwriting. The lab notebook quiz provides a quick, easy-to-grade solution. A laboratory notebook quiz has been previously described as one part of the lab notebook assessment for an upper-division microbiology course (Fleming, 2023). Here, we describe its use as the sole means of assessment of the lab notebook in a non-majors lab with 8 sections of up to 24 students each. We discuss specific learning objectives that can be assessed using the quiz, as well as considerations for working with Teaching Assistants and reducing the possibility of cheating between sections held at different times of day.
Fermented food products are an accessible and familiar entry point to first introduce students to microbiology. By connecting microbial processes to food, students can connect how ingredients, microorganisms, environmental conditions, and scientific innovation interact to produce fermented products. This Microbrew will present a science-enriched fermented recipe book assignment for a 100-level undergraduate microbiology course. Students will select a product with personal or cultural significance, and investigate the microorganisms, biochemical processes, and environmental conditions involved in fermentation using peer-reviewed scientific literature. They explain how microbial metabolism influences product characteristics and food safety while exploring the product's historical and cultural importance. Each student will contribute to an illustrated cookbook entry, where the recipe will be enriched by the scientific explanations and cultural context and history of the product. Students will strengthen their scientific literacy, information evaluation and science communication skills through an authentic and culturally relevant learning experience.
Undergraduate Immunology courses are of high interest but particularly challenging for students due to the involvement of myriad cells and soluble factors involved in an immune response, as well as several unusual genetic mechanisms key to aspects of adaptive immunity. This presentation will describe three hands-on activities for teaching fundamental genetic and developmental mechanisms of the immune system: V-D-J recombination that creates B- and T- cell receptor diversity, the polygeny and polymorphism that results in individual and population diversity of MHC I antigen-presenting molecules, and how MHC molecules shape the development of a repertoire of mature, naïve T cells in an individual. The activities utilize simple craft and toy items (beads, stickers, and blocks) that are easily sourced and can be completed in small or large lecture-based courses in as little as 15 minutes each, making them adaptable for teaching in a variety of contexts.
Quantitative methods, a term covering computational, mathematical and statistical approaches in biology, are a major component of modern microbiology. However, undergraduate education on these techniques is typically housed in non-biology departments and developed from a mathematics-first perspective. This separation is compounded by historical adversarial relationships between mathematicians and biologists. Prior work on teaching quantitative methods to biologists aimed to integrate biological examples within introductory mathematics courses. However, we posit that this approach is inadequate, arguing instead that to prepare biology students to integrate quantitative methods into their future careers, we must develop a biology-first approach to teaching quantitative methods. We propose a two-pronged approach: (1) bolster educators' confidence in quantitative methods and (2) develop curricula with a biology-first perspective to expose students to quantitative methods. In doing so, we hope to transform quantitative biology education and empower students to confidently integrate quantitative methods into their studies.
The American educational system hosts an asymmetry between the standards for initial adoption of curricular content versus its critical reworking. I argue that this dichotomy is especially present in our teaching of chromatin – the organized structure of DNA and its associated proteins – across the different domains of life. Prokaryotes, and in particular bacteria, have been continually misrepresented in their chromatin complexity primarily due to overgeneralizations made from early studies in a few model species. Even recently published educational materials contain inaccuracies such as claiming that bacteria have a single, circular chromosome – a claim for which we have had documented counterexamples for more than a half-century. Furthermore, there is growing evidence challenging the characterization of prokaryotic chromatin as “simple.” To keep our curricula current, educators and textbook authors should critically evaluate and advocate for updating these areas where our educational materials have not incorporated well-established findings.
In recent years, the addition of heatmaps have become available to instructors as in-class engagement opportunities whereby students click a location on a provided image in response to a prompt. Here, I describe an additional implementation that incorporates interactive lecture hall activities with over 100 students. Using an image of distinct sections of a lecture hall, I have students simulate spread of a disease by clicking their location to represent a disease case. A few individuals start with a disease and subsequent transmission events spread the disease throughout the lecture hall – all while remaining seated. Variation in individual student composition (e.g., personal belongings in lecture), or clustering of students add to the stochasticity of the model which facilitates discussion in the simulated data. The visualization of the heatmaps provides permanence to the student generated data and an added layer of graphical interpretation in this digital medium.
Upper division immunology courses often emphasize complex cellular and molecular mechanisms while offering limited insight into the human stories behind scientific discovery. To address this gap and to boost student engagement and understanding of textbook content and challenging immunological concepts, students first read a nonfiction biographical science narrative in full before beginning the course textbook. Early exposure to the personal and professional journeys of scientists, clinicians, and patients provided historical context and humanized the development of the field. Structured assignments, including reflective summaries, in-class discussions, and student generated oral presentations on the people discussed in the narrative that contributed to immunological discovery, reinforced the nonlinear nature of science and strengthened students’ sense of connection and belonging. Integrating storytelling with scientific inquiry increased motivation, engagement, and conceptual understanding, supporting science identity development and deep learning in advanced biology courses.
Reading primary scientific literature (PSL) in the biology classroom has been associated with various positive outcomes. Therefore, it is crucial to integrate reading PSL into science courses. Similarly, there has been an increased need for science communication (SciComm) skills and generative AI (GenAI) literacy in the workforce. This microbrew details the creation of a 3-module curriculum that integrates PSL, SciComm, and GenAI in a microbiology course. Each module is composed of a 15-minute mini-lecture and a corresponding assignment. First, students are assigned an annotated bibliography of an article of their choosing. In the next module, students prepare a “3-Minute Thesis”-style presentation of the same article. Finally, students use a Generative AI model of their choosing to prepare an annotated bibliography of their article, comparing their bibliography to the AI-generated one. This curriculum aims to prepare biology undergraduates for a modern workforce through development of these crucial skills.
Many biological systems are exceptionally complex, often including a variety of cellular and molecular interactions. This complexity can make it extremely difficult for undergraduate students to visualize and understand these processes. Immunology is a discipline known for its complex signaling pathways and cellular interactions. One way to improve students' learning of multi-step immunological biomolecular networks is by having students build and manipulate dynamic computer models. The Cell Collective platform allows faculty to implement pre-built or build their own biological network models that their students can access. The student builds the model and then can manipulate parameters and see a graphical representation of the outcome. Furthermore, the models can incorporate assessment questions to ascertain student learning. I will introduce the attendees to Cell Collective, outline the lesson I built and assessed in my 300-level introductory Microbiology course on TLR4 signaling, and invite them to try the Cell Collective training module.
Background Bacteria coordinate behavior with hormone-like chemicals called autoinducers. As a population grows, autoinducer concentration rises in step; past a threshold the cells sense the crowd and change behavior via quorum sensing. It underlies biofilms, bioreactor performance, and anti-virulence drug targets. Why Vibrio campbellii? Aliivibrio fischeri is a widely used model organism, which accommodates diffusion mediated signaling; however, signaling bypasses receptor mediated signaling. V. campbellii has the light (lux) operon controlled by membrane histidine-kinase receptors converging on one phosphorylation cascade, an ideal model for teaching signal transduction. Research Question: Can we turn an invisible protein cell signaling pathway into something students can see? Can we give students the agency to perturb this pathway, see the visible effect, and extrapolate why? Most importantly, can we do it safely? Problems: V. campbellii is not a human pathogen, but it is a marine pathogen. Vibriosis is a concern in aquaculture systems with high mortality rates (possible loss of an entire population). There are three major histidine kinase receptors complicating the ability to effectively interrogate the phosphorylation cascade. In line with our high standards for environmental stewardship, we created attenuated, highly bio contained the Vibrio strains. Design choices: - Focus on one stable, well-behaved receptor, LuxN, and its autoinducer HAI-1. This deleted the noisier LuxPQ and less influential CqsS receptors, so strains respond cleanly to a single ligand. - Attenuate and biocontain through auxotrophy + weakened DNA repair: ΔglmS, ΔthyA, ΔbioABFCD, ΔrecA. - Prophage element removal to remove risk of intact phage activation. - Kit-activity strains, ΔluxM, luxN-H471A, ΔluxB. With this and an upcoming related product, students can visualize and differentiate the signaling phases of reception, transduction, and response. Students understand the Lux pathway using a model. They culture bacteria, rescue luminescence, test inhibitors, and even design their own experiments.
In introductory or first-year courses, many students struggle with their sense of belonging. Sense of belonging, along with psychological safety and trust, is directly related to a student's engagement and persistence in their coursework. This microbrew is designed to introduce the Encouragement-as Instruction Toolkit which was designed bring encouragement into everyday interactions in the biology classroom. These tools are meant to be implemented in the classroom right away without any need for restructuring the course. They are meant to encourage students, create a welcoming learning environment, and maintain rigorous academic standards.
