As a
scientist, research trends that influenced my studies involve questions
addressing animal development, aging, cancer, and pathogen-host
interactions. My inquiries centered
around investigations concerning biochemical and genetic basis of
cellular
responses to their environment and how cells integrate signals into
survival or
death pathways. What motivates me to
work in this field is the continuing challenge in understanding the
emergent
properties of biological systems through better use of scientific data. I use bioinformatics, network biology and
ontology based approaches along with traditional biochemical and
genetic
experimentation data to find patterns and correlations.
My goal is to bring new insights into the
operational and organizational principles of cells, understand
evolutionary
significance of biological functions, and construct phenotypic and
process
models that can be utilized in biotechnology and medicine.
As an
educator, I have been increasingly involved in education improvement
research. I am interested in improving
the ways to integrate modern concepts into biology instruction. I
advocate
creating a community in the classroom and using active learning
methodologies
to enhance students' critical thinking and collaborative working skills. I
believe classroom context is the irreplaceable opportunity in which
relevant
conceptual structure of knowledge is created and students are guided to
become
responsible for their own learning. Lectures
and discussions provide the environment for collective sharing of
knowledge and
experiences. Thus classroom experience is
the most effective in learning. As a
National Academies Education Fellow, I participate in scholarly
programs,
deliver talks and present my evaluations concerning the impact of
rapidly
changing research paradigms on undergraduate biology education. Among these paradigms, genomics is
continuously changing the ways biology is practiced. This brings
critical
educational needs. Effective dissemination of genomics knowledge is
essential
to prepare biology students seeking careers in health professions and
life
sciences. It is also important for
educating teachers and informed citizens since genomics has serious
impact on
various social and ethical issues, from genetic testing and medical
record
privacy to genetically modified foods and environmental conservation,
among
others. In this regard, I am motivated
to study learning outcomes involving genomics in undergraduate biology
education and improve the validity of delivery methods.
My objective is to identify and assess the
factors that will enhance student learning in related topics and
develop
educational strategies that will help them understand the impact of
genomics in
their lives and careers.
|