Abstract 1367: A specialized workshop-based course: using protein modeling to explore molecular stories from the protein data bank

Students at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) have been engaging in protein modeling through a workshop-style course, a collaborative effort between the Halmos College of Arts and Sciences (HCAS) and the Farquhar Honors College (FHC) since 2021. Offered every Fall semester, this course continues to expand upon initial support from the NSF-funded Connecting Researchers, Educators, and STudents program (crestresources.org) and protein modeling workshops (3dmoleculardesigns.com) that inspired its creation to provide introductory research opportunities for undergraduate students. FHC students may register for the course regardless of their major or academic level. Fall 2024 course registration included 19% sophomores and 81% juniors. Students spanned four majors: Health Informatics (6%), Public Health (6%), Neuroscience (19%), Biology (44%), and double major in Biology and Neuroscience (25%). The class is designed for close collaboration in groups of 3-4 students, culminating in five 3-D printed molecular models. Students utilized various protein-based bioinformatic tools including AlphaFold, Pymol, Swissdoc, Jmol, and the Protein Data Bank (PDB). A graduate student and three undergraduate peer mentors who previously took this course assisted current students with navigating protein modeling tools and crafting a molecular story from the literature. The course included use of a peer-reviewed literature analysis on scorpion-toxin paired with a worksheet, preparing students to think critically as they analyze PDB articles. Students present their progress often throughout the semester and receive feedback from peers, mentors, and instructors. Fall 2024 projects included the study of Ryanodine Receptor 2 in heart disease, AG-221 drug binding to Isocitrate Dehydrogenase II (IDH2) and its role in treating leukemia, Nicotine (AT-1001) and Varenicline binding to the α3β4 Nicotine Acetylcholine Receptor, antidepressant drug binding to the Human Serotonin Transporter (hSERT), and the modeling of a KIdney and BRAin expressed protein (KIBRA) using a structure predicted through AlphaFold. Final projects are showcased on this NSU library-sponsored website: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/protein_modeling_reports/. A modified Research on the Integrated Science Curriculum (RISC) survey was administered to the students at the end of the semester to document student learning gained through this course-based research experience. The survey was evaluated on a five-point scale with prompts on different aspects of the research experience and what students gained from completing the course. The average values received for the prompts were reported with generally high ratings, indicating an overall positive experience. The survey showed that despite limited prior research experience and science knowledge, students successfully gained valuable research skills and a deeper understanding of protein modeling.