DNA barcoding: A different perspective to introducing undergraduate students to DNA sequence analysis.

Education in biochemistry teaching laboratories focus primarily on applying biochemical techniques to understanding human disease, biochemistry, and biotechnology. With anthropogenic climate change, there is a renewed interest in quantifying biodiversity, especially with the use of molecular-based approaches such as DNA barcoding. This 3-week laboratory exercise allowed undergraduate students to explore DNA sequencing, analysis, and DNA barcoding.

DNA barcode-based survey of Trichoptera in the Crooked River reveals three new species records for British Columbia.

Anthropogenic pressures on aquatic systems have placed a renewed focus on biodiversity of aquatic macroinvertebrates. By combining classical taxonomy and DNA barcoding we identified 39 species of caddisflies from the Crooked River, a unique and sensitive system in the southernmost arctic watershed in British Columbia. Our records include three species never before recorded in British Columbia: (Lepidostomatidae), (Leptoceridae), and possibly (Hydropsychidae).

Integrating bio-inorganic and analytical chemistry into an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory.

Undergraduate laboratories expose students to a wide variety of topics and techniques in a limited amount of time. This can be a challenge and lead to less exposure to concepts and activities in bio-inorganic chemistry and analytical chemistry that are closely-related to biochemistry. To address this, we incorporated a new iron determination by atomic absorption spectroscopy exercise as part of a five-week long laboratory-based project on the purification of myoglobin from beef.

Assessing the engagement, learning, and overall experience of students operating an atomic absorption spectrophotometer with remote access technology.

The use of internet-based technologies in the teaching of laboratories has emerged as a promising education tool. This study evaluated the effectiveness of using remote access technology to operate an atomic absorption spectrophotometer in analyzing the iron content in a crude myoglobin extract. Sixty-two students were surveyed on their level of engagement, learning, and overall experience.

Genome-wide expression analyses: Metabolic adaptation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to high sugar stress.

The transcriptional response of laboratory strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to salt or sorbitol stress has been well studied. These studies have yielded valuable data on how the yeast adapts to these stress conditions. However, S.