Engaging Metabolic Pathways: Infographics to Promote Creativity and Multimodal Learning in Biochemistry

Abstract

In this poster, we will discuss an infographic exercise that enables students to better understand and utilize the fundamental concepts of biochemistry. The biochemistry class is typically a capstone experience for undergraduates toward the completion of a biochemistry degree. Students typically enter this course from multiple biochemistry or biotechnology tracks which leads to variation in background knowledge and experience with synthesizing information. Thus students enter the biochemistry class with a wide array of experiences leading to an uneven playing field for instructors. Understanding metabolic pathways is a fundamental part of the biochemistry classes but due to their various backgrounds students struggle with studying the material. Our exercise requires that students collaboratively create a metabolic map that highlights regulatory points, evaluate their results through peer feedback, and finally design an infographic on the effects of a metabolic disorder on energy homeostasis. This infographic exercise encourages students to review the steps in metabolic pathways, apply concepts, analyze information, and enable them to construct new knowledge. This activity has the goal of using the ASBMB required core concept of energy transformation by developing skills in accessing, comprehending, and communicating science.

Metabolic minimap of anaerobic digestion for undergraduate biochemistry courses

“…17,18 Hence, to solve this problem, it is of great importance to realize a visual representation of elements in the metabolic pathways of AD. [17][18][19] In 1972, Dr. Donald Nicholson proposed a novel teaching tool, namely the metabolic pathway chart, the precursor to the metabolic minimap, which minutely presented the reactants, products, and enzymes involved in each individual reaction. 20 The metabolic minimap clearly gave a complete view of metabolism and systematically showed the interrelationships between various metabolic pathways, which encouraged students to avoid learning or thinking of pathways in isolation.…”

“…The metabolic process of AD consists of four stages, namely hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis, 16 and these stages contain a large number of biochemical reactions, molecules, and enzymes. Students may struggle with studying these complex materials since most metabolic pathways are linked to one or many pathways 17,18 . Hence, to solve this problem, it is of great importance to realize a visual representation of elements in the metabolic pathways of AD 17–19 .…”

“…Students may struggle with studying these complex materials since most metabolic pathways are linked to one or many pathways 17,18 . Hence, to solve this problem, it is of great importance to realize a visual representation of elements in the metabolic pathways of AD 17–19 . In 1972, Dr. Donald Nicholson proposed a novel teaching tool, namely the metabolic pathway chart, the precursor to the metabolic minimap, which minutely presented the reactants, products, and enzymes involved in each individual reaction 20 .…”