The genomics education partnership: successful integration of research into laboratory classes at a diverse group of undergraduate institutions.
Genomics is not only essential for students to understand biology but also provides unprecedented opportunities for undergraduate research. The goal of the Genomics Education Partnership (GEP), a collaboration between a growing number of colleges and universities around the country and the Department of Biology and Genome Center of Washington University in St. Louis, is to provide such research opportunities. Using a versatile curriculum that has been adapted to many different class settings, GEP undergraduates undertake projects to bring draft-quality genomic sequence up to high quality and/or participate in the annotation of these sequences. GEP undergraduates have improved more than 2 million bases of draft genomic sequence from several species of Drosophila and have produced hundreds of gene models using evidence-based manual annotation. Students appreciate their ability to make a contribution to ongoing research, and report increased independence and a more active learning approach after participation in GEP projects. They show knowledge gains on pre- and postcourse quizzes about genes and genomes and in bioinformatic analysis. Participating faculty also report professional gains, increased access to genomics-related technology, and an overall positive experience. We have found that using a genomics research project as the core of a laboratory course is rewarding for both faculty and students.
Shaffer
Christopher D
CD
Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Alvarez
Consuelo
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Bailey
Cheryl
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Barnard
Daron
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Bhalla
Satish
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Chandrasekaran
Chitra
C
Chandrasekaran
Vidya
V
Chung
Hui-Min
HM
Dorer
Douglas R
DR
Du
Chunguang
C
Eckdahl
Todd T
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Poet
Jeff L
JL
Frohlich
Donald
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Goodman
Anya L
AL
Gosser
Yuying
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Hauser
Charles
C
Hoopes
Laura L M
LL
Johnson
Diana
D
Jones
Christopher J
CJ
Kaehler
Marian
M
Kokan
Nighat
N
Kopp
Olga R
OR
Kuleck
Gary A
GA
McNeil
Gerard
G
Moss
Robert
R
Myka
Jennifer L
JL
Nagengast
Alexis
A
Morris
Robert
R
Overvoorde
Paul J
PJ
Shoop
Elizabeth
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Parrish
Susan
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Reed
Kelynne
K
Regisford
E Gloria
EG
Revie
Dennis
D
Rosenwald
Anne G
AG
Saville
Ken
K
Schroeder
Stephanie
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Shaw
Mary
M
Skuse
Gary
G
Smith
Christopher
C
Smith
Mary
M
Spana
Eric P
EP
Spratt
Mary
M
Stamm
Joyce
J
Thompson
Jeff S
JS
Wawersik
Matthew
M
Wilson
Barbara A
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Youngblom
Jim
J
Leung
Wilson
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Buhler
Jeremy
J
Mardis
Elaine R
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Lopatto
David
D
Elgin
Sarah C R
SC
D000818:Animals; D005178:Faculty; D036281:Genetic Research; D023281:Genomics / Q000193:education*; D007753:Laboratories; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D014495:Universities