A Broadly Implementable Research Course in Phage Discovery and Genomics for First-Year Undergraduate Students

Tuajuanda C. Jordan; Sandra H. Burnett; Susan Carson; Steven M. Caruso; Kari Clase; Randall J. DeJong; John J. Dennehy; Dee R. Denver; David Dunbar; Sarah C. R. Elgin; Ann M. Findley; Chris R. Gissendanner; Urszula P. Golebiewska; Nancy Guild; Grant A. Hartzog; Wendy H. Grillo; Gail P. Hollowell; Lee E. Hughes; Allison Johnson; Rodney A. King; Lynn O. Lewis; Wei Li; Frank Rosenzweig; Michael R. Rubin; Margaret S. Saha; James Sandoz; Christopher D. Shaffer; Barbara Taylor; Louise Temple; Edwin Vazquez; Vassie C. Ware; Lucia P. Barker; Kevin W. Bradley; Deborah Jacobs-Sera; Welkin H. Pope; Daniel A. Russell; Steven G. Cresawn; David Lopatto; Cheryl P. Bailey; Graham F. Hatfull

doi:10.1128/mBio.01051-13

mBio (Feb 2014)

A Broadly Implementable Research Course in Phage Discovery and Genomics for First-Year Undergraduate Students

Tuajuanda C. Jordan,
Sandra H. Burnett,
Susan Carson,
Steven M. Caruso,
Kari Clase,
Randall J. DeJong,
John J. Dennehy,
Dee R. Denver,
David Dunbar,
Sarah C. R. Elgin,
Ann M. Findley,
Chris R. Gissendanner,
Urszula P. Golebiewska,
Nancy Guild,
Grant A. Hartzog,
Wendy H. Grillo,
Gail P. Hollowell,
Lee E. Hughes,
Allison Johnson,
Rodney A. King,
Lynn O. Lewis,
Wei Li,
Frank Rosenzweig,
Michael R. Rubin,
Margaret S. Saha,
James Sandoz,
Christopher D. Shaffer,
Barbara Taylor,
Louise Temple,
Edwin Vazquez,
Vassie C. Ware,
Lucia P. Barker,
Kevin W. Bradley,
Deborah Jacobs-Sera,
Welkin H. Pope,
Daniel A. Russell,
Steven G. Cresawn,
David Lopatto,
Cheryl P. Bailey,
Graham F. Hatfull

Affiliations

Tuajuanda C. Jordan: College of Arts and Sciences, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, Oregon, USA
Sandra H. Burnett: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
Susan Carson: Biotechnology Program and Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Steven M. Caruso: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Kari Clase: Technology Leadership and Innovation, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Randall J. DeJong: Department of Biology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
John J. Dennehy: Department of Biology, Queens College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, Flushing, New York, USA
Dee R. Denver: Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
David Dunbar: Department of Biology, Cabrini College, Radnor, Pennsylvania, USA
Sarah C. R. Elgin: Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Ann M. Findley: Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, Louisiana, USA
Chris R. Gissendanner: Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, Louisiana, USA
Urszula P. Golebiewska: Department of Biology Sciences and Geology, Queensborough Community College, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
Nancy Guild: Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Grant A. Hartzog: Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Wendy H. Grillo: Department of Biology, North Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
Gail P. Hollowell: Department of Biology, North Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
Lee E. Hughes: Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
Allison Johnson: Center for the Study of Biological Complexity, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
Rodney A. King: Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA
Lynn O. Lewis: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA
Wei Li: Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Frank Rosenzweig: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
Michael R. Rubin: Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, Cayey, Puerto Rico
Margaret S. Saha: Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA
James Sandoz: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Christopher D. Shaffer: Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Barbara Taylor: Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
Louise Temple: Department of Integrated Science and Technology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA
Edwin Vazquez: Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, Cayey, Puerto Rico
Vassie C. Ware: Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
Lucia P. Barker: Undergraduate and Graduate Science Education, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
Kevin W. Bradley: Undergraduate and Graduate Science Education, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
Deborah Jacobs-Sera: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Welkin H. Pope: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Daniel A. Russell: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Steven G. Cresawn: Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA
David Lopatto: Department of Psychology, Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, USA
Cheryl P. Bailey: Undergraduate and Graduate Science Education, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
Graham F. Hatfull: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.01051-13
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 5, no. 1

Abstract

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ABSTRACT Engaging large numbers of undergraduates in authentic scientific discovery is desirable but difficult to achieve. We have developed a general model in which faculty and teaching assistants from diverse academic institutions are trained to teach a research course for first-year undergraduate students focused on bacteriophage discovery and genomics. The course is situated within a broader scientific context aimed at understanding viral diversity, such that faculty and students are collaborators with established researchers in the field. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Science Education Alliance Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) course has been widely implemented and has been taken by over 4,800 students at 73 institutions. We show here that this alliance-sourced model not only substantially advances the field of phage genomics but also stimulates students’ interest in science, positively influences academic achievement, and enhances persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Broad application of this model by integrating other research areas with large numbers of early-career undergraduate students has the potential to be transformative in science education and research training. IMPORTANCE Engagement of undergraduate students in scientific research at early stages in their careers presents an opportunity to excite students about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and promote continued interests in these areas. Many excellent course-based undergraduate research experiences have been developed, but scaling these to a broader impact with larger numbers of students is challenging. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Science Education Alliance Phage Hunting Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program takes advantage of the huge size and diversity of the bacteriophage population to engage students in discovery of new viruses, genome annotation, and comparative genomics, with strong impacts on bacteriophage research, increased persistence in STEM fields, and student self-identification with learning gains, motivation, attitude, and career aspirations.

Published in mBio

ISSN: 2161-2129 (Print); 2150-7511 (Online)
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Science: Microbiology
Website: https://journals.asm.org/journal/mbio

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