A model of investigative project work to teach research skills to students studying advanced human physiology and lead them into a culture of professional practice

Leading biological and life-sciences experts recently put out a call to educators to action change in the way we deliver undergraduate biology education worldwide. Overall, the plea urged educators to engage students as active participants in the scientific process so they could be better prepared for the biology-related challenges of the 21st century (AAAS, 2011). Educators were urged to introduce learning activities designed to enhance core competencies in the sciences such as communication and collaboration, team participation, and visual, written, and oral scientific communication skills (AAAS, 2011). Furthermore, evidence suggests that undergraduate students exposed to authentic research experiences increase their interest in pursuing a graduate career in science (AAAS, 2011), and those students who may not decide to pursue graduate study have reported substantial gains in their understanding of research and the scientific process, laboratory skills, and their resilience (Lopatto, 2007). Designed from a constructivist approach, we introduced a model of investigative project work in human physiology into a final-year human biosciences capstone program designed for approximately 100 students. To encourage the utmost of authenticity, students were required to take on the role of a scientist in its entirety across a semester-long independent research project. Students self-selected their teams of 5-6 members, and each team was assigned a staff member who acted as an advisor for the project. This support system was adopted as it has been reported that students can become anxious in situations when teaching styles are excessively student-centred and lack structure, guidance, and support (Felder & Brent, 1996). Students decided on a research topic, read the relevant literature, and developed a research question and hypothesis. Students subsequently submitted a research proposal which comprised of the following: project overview (title, hypothesis, aim, experiment design, statistical analysis, and methods), ethical considerations, team member tasks, resources required, schedule for data collection, and information and consent forms. Advisors provided feedback on the proposal and made suggestions for fine-tuning the study where necessary. Data collection occurred over a 2-3 week period; all students were required to act as a participant for their own team and another team; advisors were present to assist students when required. After statistical analysis was completed teams worked together on preparing a team poster in the same format as for an annual meeting for The Physiological Society. Individually students worked on a 1200-1500 word journal article in the same format as for The Journal of Physiology, and an oral presentation in the same format as for an annual meeting for The Physiological Society. Effective communication is an essential skill for all scientists, and it is suggested that practicing the communication of science through a variety of formal and informal written, visual, and oral methods should a standard part of undergraduate education (AAAS, 2011). Preliminary evidence indicates that the project promotes the development of scientific research skills, and as such, helps lead the students into a culture of professional practice. We believe that the model described could be adapted by academics across a range of science disciplines

Transformation of Cookbook Practicals into Inquiry Oriented Learning

Educators are being implored to revitalise science teaching by engaging students as active participants in science, encouraging curiosity and linking the classroom to the real world. We introduced a 5-week team-based inquiry oriented learning project into a first-semester advanced human physiology program to replace four stand-alone exercise physiology cookbook laboratories. The project was designed to promote fundamental research skill development (hypotheses, aims, data presentation in the form of graphs, and conclusions) and foster authentic collaboration between students. Student-teams designed simple experiments, collected and statistically analysed data, and presented the results in scientific format. The project significantly (

Transethnic Genome-Wide Association Study Provides Insights in the Genetic Architecture and Heritability of Long QT Syndrome

BACKGROUND: Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a rare genetic disorder and a major preventable cause of sudden cardiac death in the young. A causal rare genetic variant with large effect size is identified in up to 80% of probands (genotype positive) and cascade family screening shows incomplete penetrance of genetic variants. Furthermore, a proportion of cases meeting diagnostic criteria for LQTS remain genetically elusive despite genetic testing of established genes (genotype negative). These observations raise the possibility that common genetic variants with small effect size contribute to the clinical picture of LQTS. This study aimed to characterize and quantify the contribution of common genetic variation to LQTS disease susceptibility. METHODS: We conducted genome-wide association studies followed by transethnic meta-analysis in 1656 unrelated patients with LQTS of European or Japanese ancestry and 9890 controls to identify susceptibility single nucleotide polymorphisms. We estimated the common variant heritability of LQTS and tested the genetic correlation between LQTS susceptibility and other cardiac traits. Furthermore, we tested the aggregate effect of the 68 single nucleotide polymorphisms previously associated with the QT-interval in the general population using a polygenic risk score. RESULTS: Genome-wide association analysis identified 3 loci associated with LQTS at genome-wide statistical significance (P&lt;5×10-8) near NOS1AP, KCNQ1, and KLF12, and 1 missense variant in KCNE1(p.Asp85Asn) at the suggestive threshold (P&lt;10-6). Heritability analyses showed that ≈15% of variance in overall LQTS susceptibility was attributable to common genetic variation (h2SNP 0.148; standard error 0.019). LQTS susceptibility showed a strong genome-wide genetic correlation with the QT-interval in the general population (rg=0.40; P=3.2×10-3). The polygenic risk score comprising common variants previously associated with the QT-interval in the general population was greater in LQTS cases compared with controls (P&lt;10-13), and it is notable that, among patients with LQTS, this polygenic risk score was greater in patients who were genotype negative compared with those who were genotype positive (P&lt;0.005). CONCLUSIONS: This work establishes an important role for common genetic variation in susceptibility to LQTS. We demonstrate overlap between genetic control of the QT-interval in the general population and genetic factors contributing to LQTS susceptibility. Using polygenic risk score analyses aggregating common genetic variants that modulate the QT-interval in the general population, we provide evidence for a polygenic architecture in genotype negative LQTS.</p

AI is a viable alternative to high throughput screening: a 318-target study

: High throughput screening (HTS) is routinely used to identify bioactive small molecules. This requires physical compounds, which limits coverage of accessible chemical space. Computational approaches combined with vast on-demand chemical libraries can access far greater chemical space, provided that the predictive accuracy is sufficient to identify useful molecules. Through the largest and most diverse virtual HTS campaign reported to date, comprising 318 individual projects, we demonstrate that our AtomNet® convolutional neural network successfully finds novel hits across every major therapeutic area and protein class. We address historical limitations of computational screening by demonstrating success for target proteins without known binders, high-quality X-ray crystal structures, or manual cherry-picking of compounds. We show that the molecules selected by the AtomNet® model are novel drug-like scaffolds rather than minor modifications to known bioactive compounds. Our empirical results suggest that computational methods can substantially replace HTS as the first step of small-molecule drug discovery

Using capstones to develop research skills and graduate capabilities: A case study from physiology

In 2011, the Department of Human Biosciences introduced two physiology capstone subjects as part of the Design for Learning Project at La Trobe University. Consistent with the project, the aims of these subjects were to provide an effective culmination point for the Bachelor of Health Science course and to offer students orientation to opportunities for further study, employment and career development. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the skills-related assessment tasks of the newly introduced capstone program and an evaluation of the capstone program based on student performance and feedback scores in conjunction with staff perceptions. The skills-related assessment tasks were designed to facilitate the development of research skills and graduate capabilities such as writing, speaking, creative problem-solving, inquiry/research and team work. Student performance determined by mean scores on the skills-based assessment tasks ranged from A to C. Final grades were significantly higher (p \u3c 0.01) in 2011 when compared with final grades in 2010 and 2009. Students reported that the skills-based assessments contributed to their learning and skill development and satisfaction level was high. Staff noted a higher degree of student-centred learning, a vastly increased workload and a greater need for infrastructure services and support staff. Universities and departments should therefore consider staff and resource requirements when implementing curriculum that has a student-centred approach. In conclusion, the revised curriculum successfully promoted the development of research skills and graduate capabilities, thereby leading to work-readiness and/or entry to graduate studies in the Health and Biological Sciences

Connectedness learning in the life sciences: LinkedIn as an assessment task for employability and career exploration

'You’ve been doing employability the wrong way' would be the click-bait headline if this chapter were to be published in an online news website. The prevailing approach to promoting graduate employability taken by higher education around the world is focused on the development of human capital, that is, work-related skills and knowledge (Clarke, 2017). However, graduate employability frameworks and strategies often overlook significant dispositional and contextual factors that contribute towards a person’s employability. To more adequately promote the development of graduate employability, universities need to do more to connect students to their extensive networks of alumni and industry and provide careers and employability learning that helps students learn to explore and express their emerging professional identities (Bridgstock, 2017). In this chapter we will explore the approach taken within one Australian university to enhance the employability of life science students through embedding into the curriculum a careers and employability learning module that uses social media, specifically LinkedIn, as a pedagogical tool to develop students’ career identity and connect them with professional networks

Direct-imaging Discovery of a Substellar Companion Orbiting the Accelerating Variable Star HIP 39017

We present the direct-imaging discovery of a substellar companion (a massive planet or low-mass brown dwarf) to the young, γ Doradus ( γ Dor)-type variable star HIP 39017 (HD 65526). The companion’s SCExAO/CHARIS JHK (1.1–2.4 μ m) spectrum and Keck/NIRC2 $L^{\prime}$ photometry indicate that it is an L/T transition object. A comparison of the JHK + L $^{\prime}$ spectrum to several atmospheric model grids finds a significantly better fit to cloudy models than cloudless models. Orbit modeling with relative astrometry and precision stellar astrometry from Hipparcos and Gaia yields a semimajor axis of ${23.8}_{-6.1}^{+8.7}$ au, a dynamical companion mass of ${30}_{-12}^{+31}$ M _J , and a mass ratio of ∼1.9%, properties most consistent with low-mass brown dwarfs. However, its mass estimated from luminosity models is a lower ∼13.8 M _J due to an estimated young age (≲115 Myr); using a weighted posterior distribution informed by conservative mass constraints from luminosity evolutionary models yields a lower dynamical mass of ${23.6}_{-7.4}^{+9.1}$ M _J and a mass ratio of ∼1.4%. Analysis of the host star’s multifrequency γ Dor-type pulsations, astrometric monitoring of HIP 39017 b, and Gaia Data Release 4 astrometry of the star will clarify the system age and better constrain the mass and orbit of the companion. This discovery further reinforces the improved efficiency of targeted direct-imaging campaigns informed by long-baseline, precision stellar astrometry