title: Inquiry into chemotherapy-induced p53 activation in cancer cells as a model for teaching signal transduction.
abstract: Intracellular and extracellular communication is conducted through an intricate and interwoven network of signal transduction pathways. The mechanisms for how cells speak with one another are of significant biological importance to both basic and industrial scientists from a number of different disciplines. We have therefore developed and implemented a new laboratory-intensive course that teaches students the theory and techniques used to study cell signaling pathways. Students learn these methodologies as they conduct a hypothesis-driven research project where they elucidate the mechanism of breast cancer cell death caused by a cancer chemotherapeutic agent. While each lab experiment can be conducted independently, the findings build upon one another to form the beginnings of a signaling pathway. In the lecture component of the course, students investigate different signaling pathways and the methods employed to study them. In addition, students actively participate in journal article discussions where they assess the primary scientific literature. We evaluated the course over two semesters and found that in both semesters learning outcomes were met by both undergraduate and graduate students. The evaluation of the course was based on a number of instructor assessments of student work, including lab reports, experimental results, journal article discussions, and a final cumulative exam. Furthermore, students' self-assessments revealed gains in perceived confidence in both conceptual knowledge and technical skills
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Program and the Department of Plant Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695.
authors.forename: Melissa C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Srougi
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carson
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D001671:Biochemistry / Q000193:education; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005047:Etoposide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel / Q000193:education; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012106:Research / Q000193:education / Q000295:instrumentation; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards; D058028:Research Report / Q000592:standards; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D013334:Students; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014495:Universities
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D005047:Etoposide
keywords: cancer; cell signaling; laboratory; p53