Abstract
Abstract
In an effort to engage students in original research while teaching them basic molecular biology skills, we have designed a course for upper level undergraduate students and beginning graduate students that employs in situ hybridization in whole-mount zebrafish embryos to explore the concept of differential gene regulation. The course was taught in a workshop format during a break between the normal fall and spring semesters, which allowed students to immerse themselves in the concepts and techniques full time over a 13-day period. Overall, the course was successful in exposing students to a variety of techniques in the context of an ongoing research project in our laboratory, which provided beneficial outcomes for students and instructors alike. Here we provide a detailed account of the course organization and preparation, as well as an analysis of learning outcomes achieved by the students.