title: Early integration of the individual student in academic activities: a novel classroom concept for graduate education in molecular biophysics and structural biology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A key challenge in interdisciplinary research is choosing the best approach from a large number of techniques derived from different disciplines and their interfaces.
  
  
  RESULTS
  To address this challenge in the area of Biophysics and Structural Biology, we have designed a graduate level course to teach students insightful use of experimental biophysical approaches in relationship to addressing biological questions related to biomolecular interactions and dynamics. A weekly seminar and data and literature club are used to compliment the training in class. The course contains wet-laboratory experimental demonstration and real-data analysis as well as lectures, grant proposal preparation and assessment, and student presentation components. Active student participation is mandatory in all aspects of the class. Students prepare materials for the class receiving individual and iterative feedback from course directors and local experts generating high quality classroom presentations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ultimate goal of the course is to teach students the skills needed to weigh different experimental approaches against each other in addressing a specific biological question by thinking and executing academic tasks like faculty.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA ; Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPCI, Hillman Cancer Center, 5117 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Sanford H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Leuba
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Sean M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Carney
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Dahlburg
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Eells
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA ; Presently at: Single Molecule Biophysics Group, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Harshad
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghodke
authors.affiliation: Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA.
authors.forename: Naveena
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yanamala
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schauer
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA ; Department of Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA ; Presently at: Department of Biomedicine and Systems Biology, Division of Metabolic and Vascular Health, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klein-Seetharaman
keywords: Interdisciplinary education; Molecular biophysics and structural biology; Student lectures; Teaching