In the spring of 2020, remote learning was implemented in schools throughout the world due to the pandemic of SARS CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19. Thrust into online instruction, many science teachers scrambled during this transition, and classes were severely hampered by a lack of hands-on investigations involving critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In response to a need for online experimentation, bioinformatics lessons centered around SARS-CoV-2 were developed. This article presents a multipart bioinformatics lesson that allows students to (1) compare spike protein sequences from the database portal NCBI Virus, to investigate whether this protein would be a good target for a vaccine against COVID-19; and (2) create phylogenetic trees and demonstrate evolutionary relatedness of human coronaviruses. This lesson allows for instruction in molecular biology, virology, immunology, bioinformatics, and phylogenetics, as well as analysis of scientific data. It is appropriate for high school AP Biology and biotechnology courses and can be taught entirely online.
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September 2021
Research Article|
September 01 2021
Online Instruction – Bioinformatics Lesson for a COVID-19 Vaccine
Nadja Anderson,
Nadja Anderson
NADJA ANDERSON ([email protected]) is the BIOTECH Project Director at the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721.
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Margaret Wilch
Margaret Wilch
MARGARET WILCH ([email protected]) is the Director of Research at SARSEF, Tucson, AZ 85711.
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The American Biology Teacher (2021) 83 (7): 464–471.
Citation
Nadja Anderson, Margaret Wilch; Online Instruction – Bioinformatics Lesson for a COVID-19 Vaccine. The American Biology Teacher 1 September 2021; 83 (7): 464–471. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2021.83.7.464
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