Gamifying cell culture training: The ‘Seru-Otchi’ experience for undergraduates
Victoria T. Ly,
Drew Ehrlich,
Jess Sevetson,
Ryan N. Hoffman,
Sofie R. Salama,
Sri Kurniawan,
Mircea Teodorescu
Affiliations
Victoria T. Ly
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA; University of California, Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA; Corresponding author. Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.
Drew Ehrlich
Computational Media Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA; University of California, Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
Jess Sevetson
Department of Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA; University of California, Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
Ryan N. Hoffman
Department of Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA; University of California, Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
Sofie R. Salama
Department of Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA; University of California, Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
Sri Kurniawan
Computational Media Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA; University of California, Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
Mircea Teodorescu
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA; University of California, Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
Working in a stem cell laboratory necessitates a thorough understanding of complex cell culture protocols, the operation of sensitive scientific equipment, adherence to safety standards, and general laboratory etiquette. For novice student researchers, acquiring the necessary specialized knowledge before their initial laboratory experience can be a formidable task. Similarly, for experienced laboratory personnel, efficiently and uniformly training new trainees to a rigorous standard presents a significant challenge. In response to these issues, we have developed an educational and interactive virtual cell culture environment. This interactive virtual lab aims to equip students with foundational knowledge in maintaining cortical brain organoids and to instill an understanding of pertinent safety procedures and laboratory etiquette. The gamification of this training process seeks to provide laboratory supervisors in highly specialized fields with an effective tool to integrate students into their work environments more rapidly and safely.
