New Perspectives in Science Education
Course-based undergraduate research experience for biochemistry majors in physical chemistry
Florentina Arispe, Laboratorio de Biomateriales, Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo (Uruguay)
Andrés Ansin, Laboratorio de Biomateriales, Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo (Uruguay)
Tatiana Montagni, Laboratorio de Biomateriales, Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo (Uruguay)
María Fernanda Cerdá, Laboratorio de Biomateriales, Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo (Uruguay)
Santiago Botasini, Laboratorio de Biomateriales, Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo (Uruguay)
Eduardo Méndez, Laboratorio de Biomateriales, Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo (Uruguay)
Abstract
A course-based undergraduate experience (CURE) was designed for for biochemistry majors in physical chemistry, based on 15 years of prior experience [1-3]. The course includes a theoretical background in classical thermodynamics and kinetics, problem-solving, and laboratory experiments. In the laboratory part, students follow a fairly comprehensive study of different proteins, from analytical evaluation by UV/VIS spectrometry, followed by transport measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, denaturation induced by chemical products, denaturation induced by heat, and kinetics of denaturation. These laboratory proposals allow the student to gather all the information in a single study report, and different proteins can be included, giving rise to the need for the selection of specific methods by the students [4]. Our entire presentation will be based on the phycocyanin protein form Spirulina platensis.
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Keywords |
CURE, kinetics, proteins, thermodynamics |
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References |
[1] Pereyra, M., et al., “Picturing the thermodynamic universe with Frida Kahlo”, J. Phys. Conf. Ser., 2021, 1938, 045603 [2] Méndez, E., Cerdá, M.F., “Discovering reliable sources of biochemical thermodynamics data to aid student’s understanding”, J. Chem. Educ. 2016, 93, 555-559 [3] Méndez, E., “Biochemical Thermodynamics”, in Advances in Biology, 2022, Vol. 1, 151-183, ISBN : 979-8-88697-201-6 [4] Cooper, K.M., et al., “The impact of broadly relevant novel discoveries on student project ownership in a traditional lab course turned CURE”, CBE Life Sciences Education, 2022, ar57 |
