Grant Writing as a Teaching Tool in the Undergraduate Genetics Laboratory

David P. AielloDepartment of Biology

Mercer University

Genetics lab education: a vertical approach

• Introductory Biology– basic lab technique– process and

presentation of science– population, molecular,

transmission genetics• Genetics

– applications of genetics– introduction to advanced

lab exercises– independent thought

and critique– incorporation of primary

literature– build presentation skills

• Molecular Genetics– in-depth exploration of

subdiscipline– careful critiques of

primary literature– advanced laboratory

exercises– build presentation skills– development of the

undergraduate “scientist”

The idea

• incorporate all of the above...

• fun!• intellectually stimulating

to both students AND faculty

• First, a phone call…– Dr. Christi Magrath, Troy

University– lab proposals from her

students• Grant proposal!

– KO a yeast gene– several “advanced”

techniques• PCR• agarose gel electrophoresis• DNA purification• transformation• phenotype analysis

– process of science– independent thought– data analysis and

presentation

Format of the lab experience

• Week 1– introduction to yeast– project introduction

• Week 2– grant workshop

• Week 3– grants due; peer reviews due prior to next lab mtg.

• Weeks 4-9– set-up; data collection!

• Week 10– oral presentations and/or formal write-up

Week 1: Introductions

• Why yeast?• Nomenclature• Life cycle• Yeast lab technologies

– knockouts

Grant Proposal

• Abstract– brief outline of goals/significance of project

• Introduction– introduce topic/review of literature/relevance

• Experimental design– how will you do the experiments? what steps?– necessary reagents?

• Timeline– what do you expect to accomplish each week?

• Expected results

What should we do???

• nuclear encoded genes only• viable null mutant• assayable phenotype (examples…)

– ion tolerance (Na, Ca, Cu)– pH stress– osmotic stress– metabolic defects– growth phenotypes– colony morphology

• Resources:– http://www.yeastgenome.org/– http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcg

i?db=PubMed

Week 3: Grants and peer review

Week 3: Grants and peer review

Week 4-9: Set-up and data collection

• Winning proposals– mlf3∆: MCS of leflunomide sensitivity

• immunosuppressant drug, inhibits G1 progression

• mlf3∆ more sensitive; heat shock resistance following leflunomide treatment

– sky1∆: S/T kinase; cation homeostasis• cisplatin resistance• followed Li+, Na+, Mn2+ phenotypes; extended to Mg2+

and Ca2+

– rad27∆: 5’-3’ exonuclease for long patch base excision repair; Okazaki fragment processing

• slow growth and increased cell size phenotypes• UV sensitivity• increased recombination rates

Week 4-9: Set-up and data collection

• Week 4:– primer for KO ordered prior to start of Wk 4– PCR of fragment; run gel

• Week 5: – LiOAc transformation– pick and streak for isolation

• Week 6: – screen isolated colonies (colony PCR or DNA isolation

from spheroplasts)

• Weeks 7-9:– students run proposed experiments

Week 10: student assessment

• oral presentations

• formal lab write-ups?

• weekly progress reports?

Program assessment

• student feedback– overwhelmingly positive– some frustration (but that’s good!)

• advantages and disadvantages– yeast centric/in-depth exposure to model system– traditional lab exercises lacking/incorporating many into an

overall project– adaptable to wide range of disciplines– time involved

• mission accomplished?– fun-yes!– intellectually stimulating-yes!– vertical genetics education? (mol genetics 08S)

Acknowledgments

• Christi Magrath– Associate Professor, Department of Biological and

Environmental Sciences, Troy University

• Mercer University Department of Biology

• Pam Hanson– Associate Professor of Biology, Birmingham-

Southern College