This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Just as it does for humans, morning signals the time to wake up for plants. Sunlight triggers stomata, which are tiny pores on plant leaves, to open. This boosts photosynthesis by letting CO₂ in and O₂ out. Cells known as guard cells are the gatekeepers of this process, and opening the stomata requires a lot of energy. But scientists have long wondered where this energy comes from. Because while guard cells serve a key photosynthetic function, they appear less equipped than surrounding cells to perform photosynthesis. Now, researchers from HKU and ETH have discovered guard cells’ secret source of fuel. Experiments on Arabidopsis plants showed that guard cells import most of their energy in the form of sugar from surrounding mesophyll cells. Mesophyll cells contain many more chloroplasts than guard cells, helping them produce large amounts of sugar through photosynthesis..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"A team at Stanford and Southampton Universities has discovered a new set of mutations that could explain why certain people have inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD. While the mutations are rare, they point to an important role for a family of so-called chaperone proteins, which help other proteins fold properly in cells, and offer new ways to treat the disease. IBD is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, and comes in two common forms: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Patients usually suffer from abdominal pain and diarrhea. In severe cases, people can’t absorb enough nutrients, and the condition becomes life-threatening. While environmental factors play a role, so do genes. Scientists have identified more than 160 positions in the genome where variants can increase the risk of developing the disease. But they still explain just a fraction of the genetic contribution..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

An active problem-based assignment that uses the Genbank database to teach the basics of molecular biology and molecular evolution

A 23-page PDF file (644 KB) with a complete set of activities for elementary students (also effective in middle school) to learn about the life cycle of flowering plants with a focus on reproduction. Students predict how many seeds their Fast Plant will produce and engage in planting, growing, observing doing supporting learning activities to understand the life cycle. Carolina Biological sells a kit to accompany this activity for a class of 32 students, containing the seeds and planting materials. Alternatively, the activity can be taught using the "how to grow" instructions on the Fast Plants website, seeds from a packet of Standard Wisconsin Fast Plants (or seeds from Fast Plants you grow yourself) and your own potting mix and growing system. A 24-hour light source is needed for this activity.

This document includes a timeline and calendar to serve as planning tools for teachers to use when figuring out when to begin the steps associated with conducting a two-generation artificial selection experiment using Fast Plants. This investigation focuses on selection for the stem color trait. Teachers preparing for a selection experiment will find the calendar particularly helpful, and the timeline can be used as a printable student guide as well. This investigation was created alongside the Investigating Brassicas Around the World lesson (searchable in Digital Library) but can also be conducted as a standalone lab experiment.

From something as small and complex as a chromosome to something as seemingly simple as the weather, sex determination systems vary significantly across the animal kingdom. Biologist and teacher Aaron Reedy shows us the amazing differences between species when it comes to determination of gender.

A poster presented at the BioQUEST Wicked Problems Workshop Summer 2018 on a case study in progress.

By this point in the unit, students have learned all the necessary information and conceptualized a design for how an optical biosensor could be used to detect a target strand of DNA associated with a cancer-causing gene as their solution to the unit's challenge question. Now student groups act as engineers again, using a poster format to communicate and prove the validity of the design. Successful posters include a description of refraction, explanations of refraction in a thin film, and the factors that can alter the interference pattern of a thin film. The posters culminate with an explanation of what is expected to be seen in a biosensing device of this type if it were coupled to a target molecule, proven with a specific example and illustrated with drawings and diagrams throughout. All the poster elements combine to prove the accuracy and viability of this method of gene detection. Together with its associated lesson, this activity functions as part of the summative assessment for this unit.

This 7 th grade life science educational module is designed to provide a hands-on approach to learning how genetics determine the fate of a cell. This is an interactive "student-centered" module that utilizes technology, manipulatives, and hands-on activities to provide exceptional resources for teachers and a dynamic learning experience for students with various learning styles. Specifically, the lesson focuses on understanding how Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited genetic disorder, illustrates how the structure of the red blood cells affect blood flow, and explains how possible gene combinations can be passed from parents to offspring. This lesson serves as lesson 3 of a 3 lesson plan module. This lesson was created under Tuskegee University Math and Science Partnership Grant (MSP), NSF Funded.

An interactive lecture that uses flash animations showing the researcher and their experiments that were used to develop the basic concepts in Mendelian genetics. Includes multiple choice questions students can answer in class.

This analysis and discussion activity contains three "soap opera" episodes that contribute to student understanding of the principles of inheritance and the relevance of genetics to everyday life. In the first episode, students explain the relevant biology to answer the probing questions of a skeptical father who wants to know how his baby could be albino when neither he nor his wife are albino. The second episode, "Were the babies switched?" covers the concepts of co-dominance, incomplete dominance, polygenic inheritance, and the combined effects of genes and the environment on phenotypic characteristics. In the third episode, students analyze sex-linked inheritance.  This activity is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.

This presentation was developed by Martha Lopez Yrigoyen. It is intended as a flexible tool for lectures and tutorials for first year students in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences. Diagrams are also encouraged to be used by scientists, science communicators and educators.Not all slides will be useful for everyone or for every occasion. Slides can be adapted for the purpose needed. There are two main activities intended for undergraduate students to engage and deepen their knowledge in the field of stem cells. The first  activity is more general and its aim is to familiarize students with the core concepts in stem cell and regenerative medicine. The second activity is a novel and current example of how induced pluripotent stem cells are being used in cutting edge biomedical research. The two publications suggested for students to read can be swapped for other examples. Presentationislicensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This presentation was developed by Martha Lopez Yrigoyen.
It is intended as a flexible tool for lectures and tutorials for first year students in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences. Diagrams are also encouraged to be used by scientists, science communicators and educators.

Not all slides will be useful for everyone or for every occasion. Slides can be adapted for the purpose needed.

There are two main activities intended for undergraduate students to engage and deepen their knowledge in the field of stem cells. The first activity is more general and its aim is to familiarize students with the core concepts in stem cell and regenerative medicine. The second activity is a novel and current example of how induced pluripotent stem cells are being used in cutting edge biomedical research. The two publications suggested for students to read can be swapped for other examples.

Presentation is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This is a project on telling the stories of females and people of color in genetics, as folks who are overlooked in every genetics textbook.

Explore stretching just a single strand of DNA using optical tweezers or fluid flow. Experiment with the forces involved and measure the relationship between the stretched DNA length and the force required to keep it stretched. Is DNA more like a rope or like a spring?

Explore stretching just a single strand of DNA using optical tweezers or fluid flow. Experiment with the forces involved and measure the relationship between the stretched DNA length and the force required to keep it stretched. Is DNA more like a rope or like a spring?

This site takes us into the world of structural biology -- a branch of molecular biology that focuses on the shape of nucleic acids and proteins (the molecules that do most of the work in our bodies). Learn about the structures and roles of proteins, tools used to study protein shapes, how proteins are used in designing new medications (for AIDS and arthritis), and what structural biology reveals about all life processes. Find out about careers in biomedical research.

Students observe natural selection in action and investigate the underlying mechanism, including random mutation and differential fitness based on environmental characteristics. They do this through use of the free AVIDA-ED digital evolution software application.

Students will begin the lesson by viewing a video clip that will explain the difference between classical and transgenic breeding of plants. Next, students will work in groups to identify common foods that contain genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). Students will further explore this concept by gathering and synthesizing information regarding the impact of genetically modified organisms on the appearance of desired traits in organisms. Lastly, students will engage in the "RAFT" writing strategy, by taking on the role of a farmer persuading their employees to consider the positive or negative impacts of genetically-modified food crops. This lesson results from a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and ASTA.

Syllabus for course at Western Oregon University that outlines course goals and program outcomes and includes a schedule with weekly topics and reading. Included reading assignments come from the open access textbook "Introduction to Genetics" (Singh et al, 2023) available at https://opengenetics.pressbooks.tru.ca.