From Insight to Modulation of CXCR4 and ACKR3 (CXCR7) Function

Chemokine receptors CXCR4 and atypical chemokine receptor 3 (ACKR3/CXCR7) are highly expressed in a range of tumors. Yet, their role in cancer progression is not well understood. This minireview series encompasses seven comprehensive reviews focusing on modulators (small molecules, pepducins, antibodies), structural aspects, spatio-temporal signaling properties, and phosphorylation/interactome of CXCR4 and ACKR3. Moreover, different (patho)physiologic aspects and roles of these receptors in immunologic and oncogenic processes are discussed. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: CXCR4 and atypical chemokine receptor 3 are two oncogenic G protein-coupled receptors that are highly upregulated in various tumors. Insight into the signalling properties of these receptors and the availability of modulators targeting these receptors are essential to assess their role in cancer

Online Versus Offline Peer Feedback in Higher Education: A Meta-Analysis

In recent years, the technical possibilities of educational technologies regarding online peer feedback have developed rapidly. However, the impact of online peer feedback activities compared to traditional offline variants has not specifically been meta-analyzed. Therefore, the aim of the current meta-analysis is to do an in-depth comparison between online versus offline peer feedback approaches. An earlier and broader meta-analysis focusing on technology-facilitated peer feedback in general, was used as a starting point. We synthesized 12 comparisons between online and offline peer feedback in higher education, from 10 different studies. Moreover, we reviewed student perceptions of online peer feedback when these were included in the studies. The results show that online peer feedback is more effective than offline peer feedback, with an effect size of 0.33. Moreover, online peer feedback is more effective when the outcome measure is competence rather than self-efficacy for skills. In addition, students are mostly positive towards online peer feedback but also list several downsides. Finally, implications for online peer feedback in teaching practice are discussed and leads are identified for further research on this topic

Career development in fragment-based drug discovery

The pharmaceutical industry is highly reliant on researchers who not only possess the technical knowledge but also the professional skills to collaborate in drug development. To prepare future practitioners to thrive in this interdisciplinary environment, Innovative Training Networks (ITNs) have become increasingly important in doctoral training. In this piece, we explore the benefits of these ITNs in training future practitioners in drug discovery. Through a bibliometric review, we find that the top researchers in fragment-based drug discovery have a high degree of collaboration and mobility across institutes. We then investigate which aspects of the ITN training program enable PhD students to gain these skills. We find that secondments, the short-term stays that students have in partner research institutes, are useful in preparing students to have both broad knowledge of drug discovery and specialization in their field of interest. Aside from imparting technical skills, we find that the collaborative environment in ITNs enables students to communicate better and to work effectively in teams. Doctoral students benefit by being exposed to relevant experiences that they can later apply as they navigate through the complex web of relationships and competencies in the industry. We conclude by recommending best practices to further improve ITNs in the training of future practitioners

Practical Guidelines to Redesign Introductory Chemistry Courses Using a Flexible and Adaptive Blended Format

Incorporation of increased flexibility and adaptivity in courses can support freshmen with taking responsibility for their learning process. This is especially beneficial in the case of chemistry courses given their typically abstract nature and associated need for engaging in practice and higher order thinking. Blended learning can be used to achieve course flexibility and adaptivity, and increased student engagement. Adopting blended learning requires teachers to reconsider and redesign their course setup. The willingness for this will largely be dictated by perceived practicality, however. To this end, our aim is to develop practical redesign guidelines for flexible blended learning. Such guidelines need to be instrumental, congruent, and of 'low cost' for a teacher. The resulting four guidelines were fine-tuned in two phases over 5 years using two introductory chemistry courses and incorporated various blended learning elements, such as slide-cast lectures, live lectures, formative in-cast multiple choice questions, tutorials, formative electronic tutorial questions, and student voting on the course schedule. The outcome of our multiyear endeavor was positive and sustainable by all metrics used, including online engagement by students, learning outcomes, and student evaluations. The teachers in phase II largely embraced the guidelines emerging from phase I, and in their course experienced them predominantly as practical while limitations were also identified. We hope that our guidelines and experiences can provide fellow teachers with a blueprint for practical incorporation of flexibility and adaptivity using blended learning in their chemistry courses