Using CRISPR-Cas9 to teach the fundamentals of molecular biology and experimental design

Kee, H. Lynn; Kushner, J. Keenan; Deuchler, Catherine P.; Becker, Ashley K.; Clarke, Damian G; Pieczynski, Jay N.

doi:10.24918/cs.2019.21

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…The inspiration for this lab came from Seghal et al (1), with several modifications that make it similar to one described by Ulbricht, 2019 (2). For background reading on how the CRISPR editing process works and other examples of its use in a lab course, please see (2)(3)(4)(5). Students engage in the entire experimental process: designing guide RNA (gRNA) and homology-directed repair (HDR) sequences, cloning the gRNA sequence into the transformation plasmid, making PCR copies of the HDR template, transforming yeast, evaluating phenotype, generating and sending a PCR product of the ADE2 gene for sequencing, and analyzing the results (see Table 1 for the week-by-week lab activities).…”

Section: Face-to-face Course: Structure Themes and Goalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Converting a Face-to-Face Lab to Online: An Example of Process and Outcomes for a CRISPR-Based Molecular Biology Lab

McDonnell

Reuther

Cooper

et al. 2021

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The COVID-19 pandemic created a need to convert in-person laboratory courses into an online format in a short amount of time. For this reason, we converted our face-to-face molecular biology lab course to an online version in Spring 2020. The lab course focuses on using CRISPR-Cas9 editing to introduce mutations into the ADE2 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When planning the conversion to online, we identified a number of challenges to addressing the course goals, such as including technology, accessing real data for analysis, and engaging students in collaboration. After brainstorming ways to address these and other challenges, we developed an online lab course for which the "in lab" portion was largely focused on working collaboratively on data analysis, troubleshooting, and drawing conclusions, as well as experimental design and examining primary literature. Surveys suggest students perceived significant gains in key scientific thinking and process skills including forming scientific arguments, data analysis, and working collaboratively. Students also reported multiple different ways in which the online courses made them feel like scientists. Here we describe key parts of the course structure and our experience in teaching the course to over 200 students. We also describe the process of converting from face-to-face to online, as the process could be applied to any existing hands-on lab. The process enabled us to quickly adapt important information, course goals, and experimental contexts from existing labs, reducing the workload involved in creating a new lab while still providing the experience of focusing on scientific thinking skills to students.

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Section: Face-to-face Course: Structure Themes and Goalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Converting a Face-to-Face Lab to Online: An Example of Process and Outcomes for a CRISPR-Based Molecular Biology Lab

McDonnell

Reuther

Cooper

et al. 2021

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show abstract

“…Several CUREs have been developed recently to broaden participation and improve student learning and educational outcomes (see CUREnet,6); however, the majority were not designed to replace an entire lab section of a course, although there are some notable exceptions referenced here (7)(8)(9). Furthermore, most were not developed and refined at community colleges, which serve a more diverse, primarily first and second year student population, and are often more resource constrained.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hands-On, Hands-Off: The Community College Genomics (ComGen) Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience

Bangera

Harrington

Shaver³

2022

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Science is a process of discovery where failure is inherent and iteration is necessary, yet instructors often teach the scientific process as if it is a controlled, highly supervised, confirmatory practice of following directions to get a known answer. We believe this mismatch occurs because instructors often struggle to feel comfortable in facilitating open-ended inquiry and giving students the trust and autonomy to experience an authentic scientific process. In this quarter-long lab curriculum, we bring the scientific process into the classroom in the form of an authentic course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE). We present a pedagogy, which is hands-on for students and hands-off for instructors, that incorporates and celebrates the learning that occurs from failing safely and often. The research project presented in this article is a genomics-based CURE where students sequence and analyze DNA genome segments. Throughout the lesson, we present core instructional structures and techniques that are transferable to any project and help scaffold and support the learning impact of the CURE. In the following curriculum, we outline this pedagogy, applied to a model CURE focused on sequencing a bacterium, and suggest ways that both the pedagogy and the core components of our CURE (i.e., journal club, posters, lab notebook, and self-assessments) transfer to other courses, and other research projects.

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“…[10][11][12][13][14] Traditionally, instruction has relied upon these core molecular concepts being reinforced in a laboratory setting, where these misconceptions may be addressed through hands-on application-based lab work. CRISPR-cas-based methodologies have been used successfully to train students in fundamental molecular biology skills 15 and in a variety of model organisms, including yeast, [16][17][18] Escherichia coli, 19 Drosophila melanogaster, 20 and Arabidopsis thaliana. 21 However, not all undergraduate teaching laboratories are equipped to sufficiently perform gene editing experiments in live organisms and conduct the subsequent molecular and phenotypic analysis, let alone provide high impact course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) for students using the technologies.…”

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confidence: 99%

“Designer babies?!” A CRISPR‐based learning module for undergraduates built around the CCR5 gene

Pieczynski

Kee

2020

Biochem Molecular Bio Educ

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CRISPR-cas technology is being incorporated into undergraduate biology curriculum through lab experiences to immerse students in modern technology that is rapidly changing the landscape of science, medicine and agriculture. We developed and implemented an educational module that introduces students to CRISPR-cas technology in a Genetic course and an Advanced Genetics course. Our primary teaching objective was to immerse students in the design, strategy, conceptual modeling, and application of CRISPR-cas technology using the current research claim of the modification of the CCR5 gene in twin girls. This also allowed us to engage students in an open conversation about the bioethical implications of heritable germline and non-heritable somatic genomic editing. We assessed student-learning outcomes and conclude that this learning module is an effective strategy for teaching undergraduates the fundamentals and application of CRISPR-cas gene editing technology and can be adapted to other genes and diseases that are currently being treated with CRISPR-cas technology.

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Using CRISPR-Cas9 to teach the fundamentals of molecular biology and experimental design

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Converting a Face-to-Face Lab to Online: An Example of Process and Outcomes for a CRISPR-Based Molecular Biology Lab

Converting a Face-to-Face Lab to Online: An Example of Process and Outcomes for a CRISPR-Based Molecular Biology Lab

Hands-On, Hands-Off: The Community College Genomics (ComGen) Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience

“Designer babies?!” A CRISPR‐based learning module for undergraduates built around the CCR5 gene

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