Darlene Maloney et al. (2005) International Worm Meeting "Use of C. elegans In Introductory Biology As a Means To Teach Experimental Design"

Patsy Dickinson, Darlene Maloney, Michael Palopoli

[International Worm Meeting, 2005]

Part of the introductory biology sequence at Bowdoin College is a lab-based course that focuses on experimental design and the undergraduate laboratory experience. The course is divided each semester into two modules that each take seven weeks to complete. Within each module, students are introduced to a system in which they can conduct independent research. One such module we have developed involves looking at the effects of chemicals on aspects of C. elegans behavior, such as chemotaxis and egg laying. Students are shown how to work with the worms through introductory experiments involving chemotaxis toward diacetyl, and egg laying in the presence of serotonin. Working in groups, they then formulate their own questions, design and carry out experiments, and analyze and report the results. We have found that this model system allows introductory biology students to ask both basic and more complex questions and to answer those questions through independent research.