SEARCH · bioRxiv Science

Results for “scientific communication and education”

Search indexed bioRxiv preprints in genomics, neuroscience, cell biology and bioinformatics. Read source abstracts and check manuscript versions; preprints are not peer reviewed.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

bioRxiv2022

Taxonomy of interventions at academic institutions to improve research quality

Research institutions and researchers have become increasingly concerned about poor research reproducibility and replicability, and research waste more broadly. Research institutions play an important role and understanding their intervention options is important. This review aims to identify and classify possible interventions to improve research quality, reduce waste, and improve reproducibility and replicability within research-performing institutions. Taxonomy development steps: 1) use of an exemplar paper of journal-level research quality improvement interventions, 2) 2-stage search in PubMed using seed and exemplar articles, and forward and backward citation searching to identify articles evaluating or describing research quality improvement, 3) elicited draft taxonomy feedback from researchers at an open-sciences conference workshop, and 4) cycles of revisions from the research team. The search identified 11 peer-reviewed articles on relevant interventions. Overall, 93 interventions were identified from peer-review literature and researcher reporting. Interventions covered before, during, and after study conduct research stages and whole of institution. Types of intervention included: Tools, Education & Training, Incentives, Modelling & Mentoring, Review & Feedback, Expert involvement, and Policies & Procedures. Identified areas for research institutions to focus on to improve research quality and for further research includes improving incentives to implement quality research practices, evaluating current interventions, encourage no- or low-cost/high-benefit interventions, examine institution research culture, and encourage mentor-mentee relationships.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2017

An elective course for medical students on innovation and entrepreneurship

Here we describe \"Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Medicine\" (IEMed), a short elective course that exposed medical students to innovation and entrepreneurship. We assess students self-rated familiarity with various learning objectives after the course and report survey outcomes. Students were most interested in further educational offerings focused on startups and innovation. However, students self-reported relatively lower levels of understanding in regulatory, reimbursement, and legal aspects of health tech. Most participants reported a desire to collaborate with or consult for industry partners, rather than to found or work at a startup. We conclude with a broader discussion of the need to expose medical students to opportunities in the technology industry.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2017

Barriers to Integration of Bioinformatics into Undergraduate Life Sciences Education

Bioinformatics, a discipline that combines aspects of biology, statistics, and computer science, is increasingly important for biological research. However, bioinformatics instruction is rarely integrated into life sciences curricula at the undergraduate level. To understand why, the Network for Integrating Bioinformatics into Life Sciences Education (NIBLSE, \"nibbles\") recently undertook an extensive survey of life sciences faculty in the United States. The survey responses to open-ended questions about barriers to integration were subjected to keyword analysis. The barrier most frequently reported by the ~1,260 respondents was lack of faculty training. Faculty at associates-granting institutions report the least training in bioinformatics and the least integration of bioinformatics into their teaching. Faculty from underrepresented minority groups (URMs) in STEM reported training barriers at a higher rate than others, although the number of URM respondents was small. Interestingly, the cohort of faculty with the most recently awarded PhD degrees reported the most training but were teaching bioinformatics at a lower rate than faculty who earned their degrees in previous decades. Other barriers reported included lack of student interest in bioinformatics; lack of student preparation in mathematics, statistics, and computer science; already overly full curricula; and limited access to resources, including hardware, software, and vetted teaching materials. The results of the survey, the largest to date on bioinformatics education, will guide efforts to further integrate bioinformatics instruction into undergraduate life sciences education.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2019

The association between caesarean section delivery and later life obesity in 21-24 year olds in an Urban South African birth cohort

BackgroundObesity is an important public health problem and rates have reached epidemic proportions in many countries. Studies have explored the association between infants delivered by caesarean section and their later life risk of obesity, in many countries outside Africa. As a result of the increasing caesarean section and obesity rates in South Africa, we investigated the association in this country.\n\nMethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of data that were collected from a prospective South African birth cohort (Birth to Twenty Plus), established in 1990. A total of 889 young adults aged 21-24 years were included in the analysis. Multiple logistic regression models were fitted to assess the association between mode of delivery and early adulthood obesity.\n\nResultsOf the 889 young adults, 106 (11.9%) were obese while 72 (8.1%) were delivered by CS; of which 14 (19.4%) were obese. Caesarean section delivery was significantly associated with obesity in young adults after adjusting for potential confounders like gestational age (at delivery), birth weight, sex, maternal age, parity and education (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.00-3.94, p=0.049).\n\nConclusionThe association of caesarean section with early adulthood obesity should be interpreted with caution because data on certain key confounding factors such as mothers pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational diabetes were not available. Further research from Africa, with larger sample sizes and databases with useful linking of maternal and infant data, should be conducted.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2020

Using computational modeling to teach metabolism as a dynamic system improves student performance

Understanding metabolic function requires knowledge of the dynamics, interdependence, and regulation of biochemical networks. However, current approaches are not optimal to develop the needed mechanistic understanding, and misconceptions about biological processes persist even after graduation. To address these issues, we developed a computational modeling and simulation approach that employs scaffolded learning to teach biochemistry students about the regulation of metabolism. The power of the approach lies in students abilities to alter any component or connection in a modeled system and instantly observe the effects of their changes. We find that students who use our approach perform better on biochemistry metabolism questions compared to students in a course that did not use this approach. We also investigated performance by gender and found that our modules may have the potential to increase equity in education. We noted that students are generally positive about the approach and appreciate its benefits. Our modules provide life science instructors with a dynamic and systems-driven approach to teach metabolic regulation and control that improves learning and also equips students with important technical skills.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2019

Molecules To Mankind: Bridging Laboratory And Population Training

Aim/PurposeTodays biomedical researchers are expected to apply understanding of basic biology to improve human health. Meeting this goal requires mastery of both laboratory and population sciences, each of which has its own knowledge base, techniques, and training paradigms. BackgroundEmory Universitys "Molecules-to-Mankind" (M2M) doctoral pathway was established in 2009 to be an evolving model of interdisciplinary PhD education. M2M supplements fellows home programs, ensuring they receive training in both population and laboratory sciences. MethodologyThe present paper describes the M2M program in detail. Surveys of faculty and fellows were also carried out, and the results are presented herein. ContributionThe M2M program follows a unique model by which doctoral students receive training in both population and laboratory sciences. The present paper describes this model, such that the information can be disseminated to other educational institutions interested in implementing similar programs. FindingsThis unique model facilitates engagement of stakeholders including the fellows home program, dissertation advisor, and Emorys professional schools. Recruited across biomedical PhD and MD/PhD programs, fellows have diverse research experiences and represent "spokes" bound together by the M2M "hub." This hubs central feature is a weekly seminar class where fellows and faculty members gather for open discussion with interdisciplinary speakers with successful research careers, emphasizing speakers who have tied laboratory and population sciences in their own work. This forum provides an encouraging environment for dialogue on all aspects of biomedical research from the science itself, to the speakers career path, and the logistics of garnering institutional support and building transdisciplinary collaborations. A decade since its inception, M2M has a proven track record of shaping early-stage careers for its 49 alumni to date. Recommendations for PractitionersEngaging trainees outside their home doctoral programs can have positive implications on overall quality of education. Recommendation for ResearchersAs interdisciplinary models grow ever more important in biomedical sciences, it is important to further examine the best teaching methods for training the next generation of scientists. Impact on SocietyInterdisciplinary training at the doctoral level is important to produce future cohorts of engaged and versatile scientific leaders. Future ResearchFuture research should continue to explore novel methods of training graduate students at the doctoral level.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2023

Internet-connected cortical organoids for project-based stem cell and neuroscience education

The introduction of internet-connected technologies to the classroom has the potential to revolutionize STEM education by allowing students to perform experiments in complex models that are unattainable in traditional teaching laboratories. By connecting laboratory equipment to the cloud, we introduce students to experimentation in pluripotent stem cell-derived cortical organoids in two different settings: Using microscopy to monitor organoid growth in an introductory tissue culture course, and using high density multielectrode arrays to perform neuronal stimulation and recording in an advanced neuroscience mathematics course. We demonstrate that this approach develops interest in stem cell and neuroscience in the students of both courses. All together, we propose cloud technologies as an effective and scalable approach for complex project-based university training. HIGHLIGHTS- Development of cortical organoids as pedagogical tools for undergraduate education. - Organoids implemented in a tissue culture course through cloud-enabled microscopy. - Multielectrode arrays allow for live organoid manipulation in a mathematics course. - Students self-report increased interest in neuroscience and stem cells topics.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2023

Can ChatGPT pass Glycobiology?

The release of text-generating applications based on interactive Large Language Models (LLMs) in late 2022 triggered an unprecedented and ever-growing interest worldwide. The almost instantaneous success of LLMs stimulated lively discussions in public media and in academic fora alike on the value and potentials of such tools in all areas of knowledge and information acquisition and distribution, but also about the dangers posed by their uncontrolled and indiscriminate use. This conversation is now particularly active in the higher education sector, where LLMs are seen as a potential threat to academic integrity at all levels, from facilitating cheating by students in assignments, to plagiarising academic writing in the case of researchers and administrators. Within this framework, we were interested in testing the boundaries of the LLM ChatGPT (www.openai.com) in areas of our scientific interest and expertise, and in analysing the results from different perspectives, i.e. of a final year BSc student, of a research scientist, and of a lecturer in higher education. To this end, in this paper we present and discuss a systematic evaluation on how ChatGPT addresses progressively complex scientific writing tasks and exam-type questions in Carbohydrate Chemistry and Glycobiology. The results of this project allowed us to gain insight on, 1) the strengths and limitations of the ChatGPT model to provide relevant and (most importantly) correct scientific information, 2) the format(s) and complexity of the query required to obtain the desired output, and 3) strategies to integrate LLMs in teaching and learning.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2024

Gender, interdisciplinary graduate training, and confidence working in teams

Teamwork is recognized as critical to solving complex societal challenges related to energy, health, and sustainability. With graduate education, students often gain teamwork experience through a problem-focused approach where they are brought into existing collaborations to pursue research that is focused on studying questions that have already been identified. Here, we describe an interdisciplinary educational program where graduate students were tasked with leading team formation, problem identification, and research formulation. This "team-first" training approach used a two-year curriculum to bring together students enrolled in diverse engineering and science graduate programs and provided students with a pedagogical understanding of interdisciplinarity, nurtured the development of student communication skills across disciplines, fostered student-led team formation and idea development, and empowered students to forge new connections between research groups. Assessment of three cohorts immediately following curriculum completion (n = 36) revealed significant gains in confidence in teamwork (p < 0.001) when compared to a control group of academic peers (n = 74). These gains varied across demographic groups, with women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics presenting the strongest gains. This finding illustrates the importance of exploring how interdisciplinary team curricula in graduate school could support overcoming the gender gap in confidence. SignificancePedagogical models for graduate education often neglect the importance of teamwork training. Here, we describe an interdisciplinary training program that was developed to bring together doctoral students from diverse science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines for a two-year curriculum that focused on teamwork training through student-led team formation, problem identification, and research formulation. Following program participation, we measured participant confidence in teamwork relative to a peer group. Our findings reveal gains with confidence in teamwork, with women presenting the strongest increases without negative effects on other groups. This pedagogical approach represents a strategy to close gender gaps in professional role confidence while complementing the benefits of traditional disciplinary training approaches.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2018

Which author is which? Gender Authorship Position in Aquaculture Literature

Examining authorship position in aquaculture facilitates an improved understanding of status of women in the discipline, as authorship is a critical factor in professional success. In a review of more than eight million papers in the JSTOR Corpus across disciplines, West et al. 2013 found that men predominate in the first and last author positions and women are underrepresented in single-authored papers. Other studies have assessed women authorship, and found that a gender gap in published literature persists. This study applies the large sample size and methodology of West et al. 2013 to the broad discipline of aquaculture, and compares these results to gender authorship in the International Aquaculture Curated Database (IACD) - a compilation of 543 peer-reviewed publications supported by four international aquaculture programs headquartered at Oregon State University -- and two curated databases in the JSTOR in the Web of Science.\n\nResults reveal that the percentage of women authors (13.8%) was similar for the JSTOR aquaculture subsample and the IACD (15.7%), yet significantly lower for that of the Web of Science database (3.7%). Women are not well represented any of the databases, and remain underrepresented as authors in any position in aquaculture journals. To contextualize our findings, we examined the number of women graduates in agricultural, biological, natural, and social sciences who earned degrees in the U.S. from 1991-2015. Results from the U.S. Department of Educations National Center for Education Statistics and the percent of female graduates in the IACD show that the percent of women graduates each year has increased with women representing more than 50% of graduates, providing contextualization for the proportion of women in the discipline. Learning how authorship has changed in the aquaculture discipline over the recent decades is critical for promoting gender equity for future aquaculture scholarship and the sustainability of the professional discipline.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2019

When will I get my paper back? A replication study of publication timelines for health professions education research

Biomedical researchers have lamented the lengthy timelines from manuscript submission to publication and highlighted potential detrimental effects on scientific progress and scientists careers. In 2015, Himmelstein identified the mean time from manuscript submission to acceptance in biomedicine as approximately 100 days. The length of publication timelines in health professions education (HPE) is currently unknown.\n\nThis study replicates Himmelsteins work with a sample of 14 HPE journals published between 2008-2018. Using PubMed, 19,182 article citations were retrieved. Open metadata for each was downloaded, including the date the article was received by the journal, the date the authors resubmitted revisions, the date the journal accepted the article, and date of entry into PubMed. Journals without publication history metadata were excluded.\n\nPublication history data was available for 55% (n=8) of the journals sampled. The publication histories of 4,735 (25%) articles were analyzed. Mean time from: (1) author submission to journal acceptance was 180.93 days (SD=103.89), (2) author submission to posting on PubMed was 263.55 days (SD=157.61), and (3) journal acceptance to posting on PubMed was 83.15 days (SD=135.72).\n\nThis study presents publication metadata for journals that openly provide it--a first step towards understanding publication timelines in HPE. Findings confirm the replicability of the original study, and the limited data suggest that, in comparison to biomedical scientists broadly, medical educators may experience longer wait times for article acceptance and publication. Reasons for these delays are currently unknown and deserve further study; such work would be facilitated by increased public access to journal metadata.\n\nWhat this article addsPublication delays can negatively impact science and researchers careers. A previous study, in biomedicine, leveraged publicly available data to identify a 100-day waiting period between manuscript submission and acceptance. However, this study provides limited information on timelines for health professions education (HPE) articles. Thus, the current study replicates the original investigation with publication timeline data for eight HPE journals, which make their data publicly accessible, finding the mean time from submission to acceptance to be 181 days. Reasons for these delays are currently unknown and deserve further study; such work would be facilitated by increased public access to journal metadata.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2019

Perceptions and Prospects in Life Sciences in a Heterogenous Latin American Population

Particular challenges exist for science education in the developing world, where limited resources beget curricula designed to balance state-of-the-art knowledge with practical and political considerations in region-specific contexts. Project-based biology teaching is particularly difficult to execute due to high infrastructural costs and limited teacher training. Here, we report our results implementing short, challenging, and low-cost biology courses to high school and college students in Bolivia, designed and taught in collaboration between scientists from developed nations and local science instructors. We find our approach to be effective at transmitting advanced topics in disease modeling, microscopy, genome engineering, neuroscience, microbiology, and regenerative biology. Importantly, this approach was unaffected by the students backgrounds, education level, socioeconomic status, or initial interest in the course, and increased participants interest in pursuing scientific careers. These results demonstrate efficacy of participatory learning in a developing nation, and suggest that such techniques could drive scientific engagement in other developing economies.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2019

Women in Science and Technology: An Indian scenario

The concept of treating women as equal to their male counterpart became a topic of political debate in Europe during the age of enlightenment (18th Century). The battle towards equal voting rights took approximately 100 years to win, and went until the 19th Century. It was only around 1902-1920 that women got equal voting rights in prominent Western countries followed by others. Amidst the celebration of womens vote centenary throughout the world, the issue of equal rights to education and work is still waiting for the proper attention. Historically the presence of women in educational, technological and scientific fields remains mostly marginal. In this article, the current state of under-representation of women in the science and technology community is depicted, primarily highlighting the Indian scenario. It is observed that throughout India, and amongst the relatively developed countries of the world, the presence of women in highly prestigious Institutes and Universities remains negligible even in this day and age. The probable causes behind such inequality need to be analyzed, addressed and looked upon for remedial purposes.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2021

The Importance of Mentors and How to Handle More Than One Mentor

IntroductionWorking with multiple mentors is a critical way for students to expand their network, gain opportunities, and better prepare for future scholastic or professional ventures. However, students from underrepresented groups (UR) are less likely to be mentored or have access to mentors, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. We developed and implemented a workshop, to provide the necessary foundation for students to be better prepared for establishing future mentorships throughout graduate and professional school. MethodsFaculty well-versed in the area of effective mentorship from multiple universities developed and delivered a 1.5-hour workshop to address the roles of a mentor, especially when it comes to UR students, and how students may effectively work with multiple mentors. This workshop was delivered to a group of students from the HBCU Winston Salem State University, and a pre/post-Likert scale-based survey was administered. ResultsWe analyzed the raw data with nonparametric tests for comparison within paired samples. Wilcoxon matched-pairs and signed-rank tests showed statistically significant growth in student self-ratings related to the workshop learning objectives. ConclusionsThe "How to Handle More than One Mentor to Achieve Excellence" workshop was well received as a component of pre-graduate and pre-professional training. Incorporating workshops like this may increase student preparedness around developing and cultivating healthy mentorship relationships throughout STEM training. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVESBy the end of this workshop, learners will be able to: O_LIDescribe the role of mentors in developing the next generation of trainees. C_LIO_LIDescribe current research on mentorship among underrepresented populations. C_LIO_LIApply skills on effective communication needed in the development of successful mentorship relationships. C_LIO_LIWork with multiple mentors at one time while maintaining solid professional and personal relationships. C_LI

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2023

A review of online learning strategies for biological NMR techniques a survey of educators

Disruption to teaching over the pandemic has led to a range of online and digital solutions. Given the utility of software and remote platforms for NMR teaching a UK-based survey for NMR educators in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching was rolled out Spring 2022 in order to establish what online tools and techniques are employed to teach NMR to biological sciences and appraise their relative efficacy. Based on the survey outcomes an overview of the breadth of methods employed as well as their perceived effectiveness is presented with a list of recommendations for common and successful strategies for online (and hybrid) teaching of NMR to the life sciences.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2026

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) of Cat Owners Towards Flea Infestation and Flea-Borne Diseases (FBDs) in Selected Regions of Bangladesh

Background: Flea infestation is an important companion-animal health problem and a prime source of zoonotic exposure. However, information on cat owners awareness and preventive behavior regarding fleas and flea-borne diseases (FBDs) in Bangladesh is limited. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of cat owners regarding flea infestation and flea-borne diseases in selected areas of central Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from November 2025 to July 2026 among 238 cat owners attending veterinary clinics in Savar, Dhamrai and Manikganj Upazila. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire covering respondent characteristics, flea biology and transmission, perceived risks, and flea-prevention and control practices. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the findings, and respondents were classified according to their overall KAP scores. Results: Of the respondents, 47.1% owned cats with outdoor access and 77.7% reported that their pets had previously experienced flea infestation. Although 65.5% used flea-control treatments, awareness of zoonotic and disease-transmission risks was limited. Only 14.7% recognized that fleas can parasitize humans, while 17.6% knew that fleas can transmit infectious agents. Overall, 83.2% of respondents had poor knowledge, whereas 69.7% demonstrated moderate attitudes and 63.9% showed moderate practices. Good knowledge and good practice were uncommon, accounting for only 3.8% and 4.6% of respondents, respectively. Veterinary recommendation was the most frequently reported motivation for using flea-control products. Conclusions: Cat owners attending in the surveyed areas frequently reported flea exposure and treatment use, but substantial gaps remained in their understanding of flea biology, zoonotic potential and comprehensive control. Targeted veterinary education emphasizing routine prevention, treatment of all susceptible household animals and environmental management is needed. These findings provide regional baseline evidence and should not be interpreted as nationally representative. Keywords: Bangladesh; cat owners; ectoparasites; flea-borne diseases; flea control; knowledge, attitudes and practices; One Health.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2021

iGEM comes of age: trends in its research output.

The international Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) is an educational benchmark in synthetic biology. Eighteen years after its inception, it has also catalysed the infusion of synthetic biology with interdisciplinary fundamental and translational research as well as with inspired young scientists. Here, we communicate a quantitative analysis of compiled published work associated to iGEM projects, highlighting trends in their dissemination and versatility. As iGEM comes of age, we anticipate it will continue to revolutionise, alongside SynBio, several disciplines of science and industries through the development of synthetic biological systems towards a sustainable future.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2020

What matters to patients?: a timely question for Value Based Care

BackgroundOur healthcare system is moving towards patient-centered and value-based care models that prioritize health outcomes that matter to patients. However, little is known about what aspects of care patients would prioritize when presented with choices of desirable attributes and whether these patient priorities differ based on certain demographics. ObjectiveTo assess patients priorities for a range of attributes in ambulatory care consultations across five key health service delivery domains and determine potential associations between patient priorities and certain demographic profiles. MethodsUsing a What Matters to You survey patients ranked in order of importance various choices related to five health service domains (patient-physician relationship, personal responsibility, tests/procedures, medications and cost). Subjects were selected from two Johns Hopkins affiliated primary care clinics and a third gastroenterology subspecialty clinic over a period of 11 months. We calculated the percentage of respondents who selected each quality as their top 1-3 choice. Univariate and multivariate analyses determined demographic characteristics associated with patient priorities. ResultsHumanistic qualities of physicians, leading a healthy lifestyle, shared decision making (SDM) for medications and tests/procedures and knowledge about insurance coverage were the most frequently ranked choices. Privately insured and more educated patients were less likely to rank humanistic qualities highly. Those with younger age, higher educational attainment and private insurance had higher odds of ranking healthy lifestyle as a top choice. Those with more education had higher odds of ranking SDM as a top choice. ConclusionsIdentifying what matters most to patients is useful as we move towards patient-centered and value based care models. Our findings suggest that patients have priorities on qualities they value across key health service domains. Multiple factors including patient demographics can be predictors of these priorities. Elucidating these preferences is a challenging but a valuable step in the right direction.

scientific communication and education↗