Abstract 2141 Using Collaborative CUREs to Teach Protein-Protein Interactions and Post-Translational Modifications

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have grown as an influential pedagogical tool which supports student learning, bolstering STEM student retention, and fostering a scientific identity among learners. The evolution of CUREs has transitioned from individual faculty integrating their research into teaching laboratories to the establishment of comprehensive systems sustaining faculty engagement in these experiences. Within this landscape, the MDH CURES Community (MCC) exemplifies a robust system composed of a community of faculty that supports the sustained implementation of CUREs, with a protein-centric approach focused on malate dehydrogenase. Within the MCC there are several scientific themes designed to execute an MDH-focused CURE, one of which explores protein-protein interactions (PPI) and the impact of post-translational modifications (PTM) on protein function and regulation. We will showcase diverse implementations of a PPI/PTM CURE across diverse courses, from first-year gateway courses to upper-division laboratory courses. Moreover, we'll highlight our success in fostering external collaborations-both between students and faculty and faculty to faculty across different universities. Prior research indicates that such external collaborative CUREs significantly extend student learning and promote positive attitudes towards STEM fields. Our presentation will provide some of the different approaches, such as molecular modeling, site-directed mutagenesis, kinetic analysis, and pull-down assays that we've employed to investigate PPIs and PTMs within the CURE framework. We will discuss different approaches that we have successfully implemented to investigate PPIs in the CURE setting while sharing examples of new opportunities for implementing a CURE focused on PPIs and PTMs. Funded by NSF RCN UBE 2119918.