BIOSCIENCE IMMERSION:
BRINGING INDUSTRY INTO THE
CLASSROOM
Scott Gevaert, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator, St. Louis Community College
NSF-ATE Bioscience Industry Fellowship Participant
NSF #1304010
IMAGINE YOU ARE A DEVELOPMENTAL MATH
INSTRUCTOR…
• Your goal:
• Learn how math is used in the biosciences to make the math you are
teaching relevant
• Your cohort:
• 5 biology/biotechnology instructors
• 1 computer science instructor
• 1 physics instructor
• 1 academic advisor
• 1 USAF veteran and current student
THE FIRST MORNING
• Lab Safety
• What is DNA?
ONE HOUR LATER…
HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID
CHROMATOGRAPHY
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY/MASS SPECTROMETRY
CELL CULTURE & BIOPROCESSING
ANION EXCHANGE CHROMATOGRAPHY
GOWNING & CLEAN ROOMS
David Yarley and the three technicians who worked
with us through anion exchange and gowning.
Savitha Pinnepalli, BIFP Fellow
YOU HAVE JUST FINISHED WEEK 2
NOW YOU START THE SECOND 2 WEEKS
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE VISITS…
• BRITE, North Carolina Central University
• Food & Beverage Center, Asheville-Buncombe Tech, Asheville, NC
• Joint School of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
AT BRITE, TOURS DEMONSTRATED…
Automation
Cell Membranes
High Content Imaging
Liver Cell Nuclei
Lipid droplets
FOOD, BEVERAGE, AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS
AT A-B TECH
• Use of U-V Spectrophotometry to identify the concentration of anthocyanins in
different juices
FOOD, BEVERAGE, AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS
AT A-B TECH
• Use of GC-MS to identify different oils within a solution
JOINT SCHOOL OF NANOSCIENCE &
NANOTECHNOLOGY
• Microscopy
• Genomics
• Hydroponics
• Brightener as nanoparticles
added to plants for improved
textiles
INDUSTRY VISITS…
Biomanufacturing &
Pharmaceuticals
Regenerative Medicine
BIOGEN IDEC
• A panel of workers throughout the company discussed worker qualifications
• Variety of backgrounds: machine technicians, quality control, chemists
• Importance of soft skills!
TARGACEPT
• Determined the next steps for
getting a drug to market using
information from the following
areas
• Efficacy
• Safety
• Quality
• Value
• Interacted with CEO, CFO, R&D
Director, Quality Assurance
Director
REGENERATIVE MEDICINE AT WAKE FOREST
INSTITUTE FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
• Regenerating Organs at different levels of complexity
• Dept. of Defense research, helping injured solders
• 3D Printing
REGENERATIVE MEDICINE AT WAKE FOREST
INSTITUTE FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
• Regenerating Organs at different
levels of complexity
• Level 1: Skin & Cartilage
• Ear
• Nose
• Level 2: Tubular Systems
• Esophagus
• Level 3: Hollow Organs
• Bladder
Source: WFIRM
REGENERATIVE MEDICINE AT WAKE FOREST
INSTITUTE FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
• Dept. of Defense research: 3D
Printing
• Scan injured part of body
• Use different cell types to
regenerate the area needing
repair
SO HOW DO THESE EXPERIENCES ENTER OUR
CLASSROOMS?
• Aseptic technique without a cleanroom or biological safety cabinet
• New curricula aligned to industry standards
• Program modules for public use
• Mathematical applications
ASEPTIC TECHNIQUES
NEW CURRICULA ALIGNED TO INDUSTRY
STANDARDS
• Using batch product reports
• Using lab notebooks in proper
technique
• Students create Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs)
and Batch Product Reports
(BPRs)
• Emphasize the importance of
detailed work and accountability
If you didn’t write it down, you didn’t do it!
MODULE DEVELOPMENT
•
Concluding presentation using skills and industry visits
•
Be accessible publicly and applicable to any institution to use
•
Topics covered include:
• Better K-12 training
• Bridge high school students into a college program
• Improved recruitment and communication methods
• More interdisciplinary work: bioscience examples in developmental math
In every math class you will hear …
Why do I need to know this?
When will I ever use this?
In every science class you will hear
…
Did I learn how to do this in my math class?
Slide courtesy of Heather King, BIFP Fellow 2014
Basic Mathematical Concepts
Equations
of Lines
Proportions
Percents
Exponents
Biotechnology
Applications
Basic
Statistics
Graphs
Formulas
Ratios
Solving
Equations
Fractions
Scientific
Notation
Conversions
Slide courtesy of Heather King, BIFP Fellow 2014
Linear Equations in Two Variables
Standard Curves & Unknown Concentrations
Rowan Cabarrus Community College
Absorbance
(10, 0.59)
(8, 0.51)
(4, 0.31)
(2, 0.24)
Capsaicin
mg/L
• Use two data points to determine the equation for the line of best fit.
Slope-Intercept Form of a Line
y = mx + b
• Use your equation to predict the amount of capsaicin present when
the absorbance is 0.55.
Slide courtesy of Heather King, BIFP Fellow 2014
FINAL COMMENTS FROM COLLEAGUES
Heather King, Developmental Math Instructor, Forsyth Tech:
“I enjoyed the hands on activities the most. These activities really helped me to
learn what biotechnology was all about… I also enjoyed the tour of Biogen
Idec. After this tour, I really understood the purpose of a bioreactor and a
centrifuge.”
Daymond Lindell, Academic Advisor, Forsyth Tech:
On recommending bioscience as a career to students…
“Try to imagine learning/teaching/working in a discipline or career where you can
truly make a difference in the WORLD...now add to that a lucrative job market
and exceptional pay! Would you be interested in that?”
PROGRAM CONTACTS
•
Grant PI: Russell Read, rread@forsythtech.edu
•
Grant Co-PI: Denise Schweizer, denise.schweizer@rccc.edu
•
National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce, www.biotechworkforce.org
•
National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education
SPECIAL THANKS…
•
My colleagues within the cohort
•
Mona Cofer, Mica Welsh, Russell Read, Amy Germuth, and Denise Schweizer (not
pictured)
•
The National Science Foundation and Advanced Technological Education
•
The many people who taught us lab skills, took us on tours, open the doors of their
company to help us understand the many different aspects of the bioscience industry
QUESTIONS?