Creativity, fun, play, artistic expression. 这些不是你通常在高级分子生物学课上听到的描述词. But Sara Hanson's class MB350 Laboratory in Genomics is a bit different.
The Block 4-5 course, 主要面向分子生物学专业的高年级学生，以及部分生物化学、有机生物学和生态学专业的学生, 向学生介绍先进分子生物学和基因组学的实验方法.
This is a rigorous science course. 但这也是一门教授并重视艺术表达和创造力的课程. In the interdisciplinary convergence class, 学生们使用他们获得的RNA测序数据来创建一个图形分数, assign sounds to it using materials available in the lab, and then perform their pieces for the class.
Hanson is assistant professor of molecular biology at Colorado College. She taught the class with the help of Jessica Hunter-Larsen, associate director of Innovation at CC; Jane Rigler, flutist, composer, improviser, and assistant professor in the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs; and Reiko Yamada, composer and sound artist.
The students in the class studied gene expression at a genome-scale. 基因组中的基因是决定生物体生理特征的信息片段. 它们首先以RNA的形式从DNA中表达出来，然后RNA被翻译成蛋白质, which gives rise to the physical characteristics of an individual.
"In my class, 学生们在不同条件下从酵母细胞中分离RNA，并对提取的所有RNA进行测序. 这产生了数百万个非常短的序列，然后学生们需要分析这些序列. The students map them to the genome of the yeast, 然后计算出基因组中每个基因对应的序列数量，并比较样本之间的这些数字，看看哪些基因由于实验条件而改变了它们的表达, and which have not," says Hanson.
汉森是在2018年春季学期参加视觉文化学习社区时认识杰西卡·亨特-拉森的. 亨特-拉森领导了这一系列的研讨会，重点是在培养学生视觉学习技能的基础上制定学习目标和课程计划. In her position as the associate director of innovation, 亨特-拉森告诉汉森，声音艺术家山田玲子(Reiko Yamada)访问了4街区的校园.
因为玲子使用科学数据来创作声音和多媒体艺术作品, 我们受到启发，让我的学生用这种方式处理他们在第4块创建的数据," Hanson says. "Professor Jane Rigler from UCCS came to lead the class in the activity, 让学生思考乐谱用图形来描绘声音的不同方式. 然后，她和玲子让学生们使用他们的测序数据来创建一个图形分数, assign sounds to it using materials available in the lab, and then perform their pieces for the class."
“我很高兴能把这个机会带给我班上的学生. 它为他们提供了以一种全新的方式思考和处理数据的机会. 他们必须要有创意，用他们辛辛苦苦生成和分析的数据找点乐子," she says.
尽管这项活动超出了许多学生的舒适区, they dove right in, says Hanson.
"Once they knew what they were tasked to do, they went right for it. Many of them expressed to me afterwards that they enjoyed the experience, and that it provided a much-needed break from their data analysis. 我们在课堂上讨论了游戏在帮助培养创造力和发展新思维方式方面的价值. 我被学生们处理作业的各种方式所震惊，他们把他们的序列解释为声音."