The BASIL blueprint for biochem labs

With more than 30 years of experience under his belt, Paul Craig has learned what works when it comes to teaching undergrads. As he applied his knowledge and modified his teaching style to empower students to feel like researchers themselves, he noticed a distinct change.

“The interaction became more like working side by side,” Craig said. “Once they realized I did not know the answers to the questions they were asking, the students got more adventurous, looking online and in the literature for answers to those very questions.”

Paul Craig

To benefit educators and students at large, Craig and colleagues developed the Biochemistry Authentic Scientific Inquiry Lab, or BASIL, initiative. This undergraduate lab course curriculum encourages students to use lab techniques to figure out the function of a protein, giving them firsthand experience as researchers.

Craig has been a professor in the School of Chemistry and Materials Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology since 1993. As his career evolved, Craig turned his scientific curiosity toward how students learn — and how to teach them to think like researchers.

“I wanted students to learn how to become scientists, not just learn the techniques,” he said. “(This includes) understanding how to read the literature, ask questions and overcome failure.”

In the BASIL curriculum, students work with proteins with unknown functions and use computational and bioinformatic tools to make functional predictions. They then test these predictions in the lab by relying on techniques including gene cloning, protein expression and purification and enzyme assays.

BASIL began in 2015 when Craig and a group of committed colleagues set out to redesign the undergraduate biochemistry lab from the ground up. Over time, the team refined BASIL with support from the National Science Foundation. They launched a website that houses modules, instructions and other resources. Today, Craig estimates the program runs on more than 50 campuses across the country.

For those looking to develop a successful curriculum like BASIL, Craig said it’s important to have a framework. A structured plan helps ensure that key learning components are included and that the course is designed effectively.

“Have learning objectives and learning goals,” he said. “For biochemistry, if you are redeveloping a course or building a new course, look at the curriculum recommendations from (the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) — they are well thought out.”

He advises tailoring the course to students’ experience levels and backgrounds.

“Are they taking this course in their second year or fourth year? What (background) do they have?” he said. “It’s important to challenge (students) and give them opportunities where they’re stretched.”

BASIL immerses students in authentic scientific research, including the frustrating — and often illuminating — failures working scientists routinely face. Craig encourages instructors to be open and honest about their own failures to support students and normalize failure as a part of the scientific process.

“Faculty need to be honest with students about when we failed and almost walked away and what kept (us) there and how (we) managed to work through it,” Craig said.

He previously spoke to ASBMB about his own impostor syndrome.

Lastly, Craig also encourages faculty to make connections with fellow educators. The ASBMB annual meeting is one such venue.

“I’ve learned so much from being around other educators (by) going to the ASBMB meeting,” Craig said.