The ability of yeast to survive freezing and thawing is most frequently considered in the context of cryopreservation, a practical step in both industrial and research applications of these organisms. However, it also relates to an evolved ability to withstand freeze–thaw stress that is integrated with a larger network of survival responses. These responses vary between different strains and species of yeast according to the environments to which they are adapted, and the basis of this adaptation appears to be both conditioned and genetic in origin. This review article briefly touches upon common yeast cryopreservation methods and describes in detail what is known about the biochemical and genetic determinants of cell viability following freeze–thaw stress. While we focus on the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in which the freeze–thaw stress response is best understood, we also highlight the emerging diversity of yeast freeze–thaw responses as a manifestation of biodiversity among these organisms.

Undergraduate students in the biomedical sciences are often interested in future health-focused careers. This presents opportunities for instructors in genetics, molecular biology, and cancer biology to capture their attention using lab experiences built around clinically relevant data. As biomedical science in general becomes increasingly dependent on high-throughput data, well-established scientific databases such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) have become publicly available tools for medically relevant inquiry. The best feature of this database is that it bridges the molecular features of cancer to human clinical outcomes—allowing students to see a direct connection between the molecular sciences and their future professions. We have developed and tested a learning module that leverages the power of TCGA datasets to engage students to use the data to generate and test hypotheses and to apply statistical tests to evaluate significance.

Clonogenic assays are a simple and robust method that allow researchers to characterize mammalian cell line features, including the ability of a single cell to grow into a colony. We have used this assay as a tool in the undergraduate biology laboratory, exposing students to a more specialized form of mammalian cell culture and helping them refine scientific research skills and knowledge. In this article, we share an easy and undergraduate-friendly method of using HeLa cells to carry out clonogenic assays. The methods described include the introduction of different treatments to assess their effect in HeLa cell colony formation. In this laboratory exercise, undergraduate students utilize different cell culture techniques such as growing, harvesting, counting, diluting, staining, and imaging cells.

The wound healing assay is a simple and inexpensive method that allows researchers to experimentally mimic cell growth and migration leading to wound healing. In this assay, a wound is created on a monolayer of cultured mammalian cells and cell migration is monitored.