Developing Foundations for Nanopore DNA Sequencing Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences at Minority-Serving Institutions

为少数民族服务机构基于纳米孔 DNA 测序课程的本科生研究经验奠定基础

• 批准号: 2216349
• 负责人: Jason Williams
• 金额: $ 17.96万
• 依托单位: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-06-15 至 2024-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2216349&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Developing; Foundations; Nanopore; DNA; Sequencing; Developing; Foundations; Nanopore; DNA; Sequencing

This project aims to serve the national interest by making it easier for educators to integrate advanced DNA sequencing technologies and related laboratory and data science skills into their teaching. DNA sequencing allows us to read the instructions contained in DNA — the so-called “molecule of life”. DNA sequencing has impacted every area of biology, enabling researchers to understand more about how life works. This technology is used for research that boosts agriculture, monitors biodiversity, creates energy solutions, and improves human health. Previously, DNA sequencing was expensive and time consuming, but technological improvements have lowered the cost and the time involved. Preparing the next generation of researchers to use this advanced technology is essential, but few undergraduate biology educators are equipped to do this. Reasons for this include complex protocols, lack of lesson materials, insufficient computer skills, and educator perceptions of earlier, less accurate versions of this technology. In this project, the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center will work with three partner institutions to reduce these barriers to using advanced DNA sequencing technology in the classroom. Together with New York City College of Technology, Spelman College, and University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, the project team will co-develop protocols and teaching tools that integrate advanced DNA sequencing into hands-on training for biology undergraduates. Faculty from these institutions and other partners include 2- and 4-year, Hispanic-serving, and Historically Black institutions, maximizing the potential that the solutions developed can be successfully implemented in a variety of college settings. Independent evaluation of the project will lay a foundation for future dissemination at a national level and will support efforts to create a highly skilled and diverse US STEM workforce.The first project objective intends to develop a biochemistry and bioinformatics workflow to design a kit of reagents and classroom-friendly protocols that minimize cost, are easy-to-use, and are customized to support course-based student research projects. Existing NSF-funded computing solutions (e.g., CyVerse, JetStream, XSEDE) will support prototype bioinformatics workflows, and sample datasets. The project team will develop demonstration DNA sequencing projects (e.g., genome assembly, biodiversity studies, and metagenomics) that explore compelling research questions and that can be integrated into undergraduate coursework. Each project will organize faculty from partner institutions into mentoring networks to promote the development of a “community of practice.” This approach will support the application of evidence-based curriculum guidelines as faculty iteratively develop lessons, devise solutions to implementation challenges, and pilot materials with students. Expert researchers and educators will provide advice on achieving both the scientific and pedagogical goals of the project. Project evaluation will advance our understanding of the barriers to faculty adoption of DNA sequencing technology in course-based research experiences using published assessment tools. The data collected will be applied to fill gaps in knowledge about barriers to student research at minority-serving institutions. Lessons learned will be shared at the institutional level, through virtual networks for genomics and computational biology education, and at national conferences. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Level 1 Institutional and Community Transformation track, the program supports efforts to transform and improve STEM education across institutions of higher education and disciplinary communities. This project is also supported by the NSF IUSE:HSI program, which has the goals of enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education, and increasing the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of students pursuing associate’s or baccalaureate degrees in STEM.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目旨在通过使教育工作者更容易将先进的DNA测序技术以及相关的实验室和数据科学技能整合到他们的教学中来满足国家利益。 DNA测序使我们能够阅读DNA中包含的说明 - 所谓的“生命分子”。 DNA测序影响了生物学的每个领域，使研究人员能够更多地了解生活的运作方式。该技术用于研究，以促进农业，监视生物多样性，创造能源解决方案并改善人类健康。以前，DNA测序既昂贵又耗时，但是技术的改进却降低了涉及的成本和时间。准备下一代研究人员使用这种先进的技术是必不可少的，但是很少有本科生物学教育者等同于这样做。这样做的原因包括复杂的协议，缺乏课程材料，计算机技能不足以及对早期，较少准确版本的教育者的看法。在这个项目中，冷泉港实验室DNA学习中心将与三个合作伙伴机构合作，以减少这些障碍，以在课堂上使用先进的DNA测序技术。与纽约市理工学院，斯佩尔曼学院和波多黎各大学RíoPiedras一起，项目团队将共同开发协议和教学工具，以将高级DNA测序集成到动手实践的生物学本科生培训中。这些机构和其他合作伙伴的教师包括2年和4年，西班牙裔服务以及历史上黑人机构，最大程度地发挥了解决方案的潜力，可以在各种大学环境中成功实施。对该项目的独立评估将为未来在国家一级的传播奠定基础，并将支持创建高技能和多样化的美国STEM劳动力的努力。开发生物化学和生物信息技术工作流程的第一个项目客观意图，以设计一组试剂盒和课堂友好的协议，以使成本易于使用，并且可以使用易于使用的项目，并且可以定制学生的研究项目。现有的NSF资助的计算解决方案（例如cyverse，Jetstream，Xsede）将支持原型生物信息学工作流和样本数据集。项目团队将开发示范DNA测序项目（例如基因组组装，生物多样性研究和宏基因组学），探讨引人入胜的研究问题，并且可以将其融入本科课程中。每个项目都将组织伙伴机构的教师到心理网络，以促进“实践社区”的发展。这种方法将支持基于证据的课程准则的应用，作为教师迭代的课程，为实施挑战设计解决方案，并与学生进行试验材料。专家研究人员和教育工作者将提供有关实现该项目的科学和教学目标的建议。项目评估将提高我们对使用已发表的评估工具在基于课程的研究经验中采用DNA测序技术的障碍的理解。收集的数据将用于填补有关少数派服务机构学生研究障碍的知识的空白。经验教训将通过机构层面，通过基因组学和计算生物学教育的虚拟网络以及在国家会议上共享。 NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过第1级的机构和社区转型轨道，该计划支持努力转变和改善高等教育和学科社区机构的STEM教育。 NSF IUSE：HSI计划也支持该项目，该计划的目标是提高本科STEM教育的质量，并提高招聘，保留和毕业率的学生在STEM中攻读合伙人或学士学位的学生。该奖项在NSF的法定任务中均通过评估委员会的支持，这表明了NSF的奖励的依据，这一奖项被认为是众所周知的Intelliquia interial and Intelliation and Foundic and Founlitia and Founlitial and Founlitial and Founlitial and Founlitial and Founlitial and Founlitial and Founlitial。