Emily Wiley, associate professor of biology in Scripps, Claremont McKenna, and Pitzer Colleges’ Joint Science Department, successfully completed the 2011 ASM/JGI Bioinformatics Institute: Incorporating Bioinformatics Research in Undergraduate Education, which was held March 9-12 at ASM headquarters in Washington, D.C. She was one of 20 educators nationwide selected to participate in the program this year.
The Bioinformatics Institute is managed by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (JGI) and Hiram College.
Over the last six years, the Bioinformatics Institute has helped more than 132 undergraduate science faculty: 1. use molecular sequence data as a framework for developing classroom activities and research projects for undergraduate students , and 2. understand how meaningful scientific results can be generated while educational goals are met. “I’m excited about further incorporating bioinformatics tools into my teaching at all levels in the curriculum. It will enable more students to engage original research starting as early as their first year, and will keep them updated with the latest computational methods and strategies to mine information from genome sequence datasets,” says Professor Wiley.
The tools and strategies involved in handling and analyzing biological sequence information make up the field of bioinformatics. Because these tools and strategies answer real-life biological questions, they are “a great way to involve students in research as well as help them see themselves as scientists,” says Brad Goodner, a leader of the institute and a professor of biology at Hiram College, in Hiram, Ohio. “Most faculty in the life sciences know that bioinformatics is a critical part of cutting-edge research and needs to be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum; however, few have had any training in the discipline,” he says.
Through plenary sessions, small-group work, in-depth discussions, and hands-on practice, the 2011 Institute introduced attendees to several databases, tools, and resources that undergraduate students can use to contribute to real-life projects, such as mapping and analyzing DNA and protein sequences and creating and viewing three-dimensional models of protein structures. Along with newfound experience connecting bioinformatics tools to biological questions, learning concepts, and skills training, participants of the institute received curriculum activities, problem sets, course exercises, and research projects that can be used to engage students in courses immediately. In addition, the attendees gained a network of colleagues to help with future brainstorming and troubleshooting in the use of bioinformatics in education.