Research-based interdisciplinary skills across the curriculum ASM Meeting 2009 Rupa Iyer PhD Director of Biotechnology Programs Director of Center for Life Sciences Technology University of Houston

Academic Program ► 4- year interdisciplinary major leading to a B. S. degree ► Collaboration with Industry and Academic Partners ► Two tracks, Bioprocessing and Bioinformatics.

Laboratory Curriculum ► Designing new laboratory modules ► In collaboration with Melinda Wales, Ph.D. Reactive Surfaces and Texas A & M

Laboratory Curriculum ► Project Based ► Modular ► Model for interdisciplinary programs

Project - Based ► Soil bacterium Pseudomonas dimutins ► Plasmid encoded gene responsible for degradation of organophosphorous compounds (OP) ► OP gene identified, cloned, expressed and the upstream and downstream processes of protein production characterized. ► Applications in Environmental Biotechnology

IRBC

Module I :Environmental Sampling and Enumeration ► Sample Collection  Isolation and Characterization of Isolates  Obtain soil samples and isolate OP hydrolyzing colonies on primary culture plates.  Pesticide ( paraoxon, parathion ) used as sole sources of C, S, P

Module II: Remediation of Organophosphorous (OP) Compounds ► Cloning of the gene encoding organophosphorous hydrolases (opd)  Plasmid Isolation  Restriction Digest  Ligation and Transformation  Enzymatic Assay of OPH

Module III: Bioprocessing Good Manufacturing Practices ► Cell Growth ► Bioreactors ► Upstream Processing ► Downstream Processing ► Introduction to Nanotechnology

Beta Testing ► Module I and II  Brigham Young Hawaii – Fall 2007  UH - Research Experience for Undergraduates, Summer 2008  Fall UH BTEC 3100, Research Methods and applications

Beta Testing ► Module III BTEC 4398 Special topics in Bioprocessing  Students develop parameters such as temperature, pH, and aeration for optimal bacterial growth in bioreactors.  Generate data when they manipulate that specific parameter.  They will share and interpret their data to propose optimal growth conditions for their bacterial culture.

Assessment and Evaluation Assessment ► Research Paper ► Lab Note Book ► Quizzes Evaluation ► Student assessment of learning gains

Research Experience ► Field Activity: Module I  Students collect soil samples  Test for the presence of oph activity  Location of oph activity  Analyze data ► Collaborations: students test for the presence of oph (and pesticide contamination ) activity

Linking Research Experiences ► Electronic Lab Notebook  Student upload their own data  Compare data with one another  Submit a research paper  Based on popular open source package (Drupal)