Pathways over Time: Functional Genomics Research in an Introductory Laboratory Course.

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Molecular Biology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• National reports advocate for integrating research experiences into undergraduate curricula.
• Implementation faces challenges like sustainability, cost, and large student numbers.
• A novel course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) is presented to address these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a sustainable and adaptable CURE for introductory students.
• To assess student growth in content knowledge and research skills.
• To evaluate the CURE's effectiveness across diverse student demographics and course sections.

Main Methods:

• A 3-credit, multisection laboratory course titled "Pathways over Time" was implemented.
• Introductory students investigated the functional conservation of the methionine biosynthetic pathway in yeast.
• Data were collected over five semesters from 793 students.

Main Results:

• Students exhibited statistically significant and substantial growth in content knowledge (d = 1.85).
• Students also showed significant improvement in self-reported research methods skills (d = 0.65), experimental design, communication, database use, and collaboration.
• Content knowledge gains were greater for underrepresented minority students.

Conclusions:

• CUREs are effective in supporting the scientific development of large, diverse student populations.
• The "Pathways over Time" project is a sustainable model adaptable to various institutional settings.
• The CURE effectively enhances both scientific content knowledge and practical research skills.