{"doi":"10.1002/bmb.21783","title":"<scp>CUR</scp> (E)ating a new approach to study fungal effectors and enhance undergraduate education through authentic research","abstract":"Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) integrate active, discovery-based learning into undergraduate curricula, adding tremendous value to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) education. There are multiple challenges in transforming a research project into a CURE, such as the readiness of students, the time commitment of the instructor, and the productivity of the research. In this article, we report a CURE course developed and offered in the University of Massachusetts Amherst BMB Department since 2018 that addresses these challenges. Our CURE focuses on fungal effectors which are proteins secreted by a destructive pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum, one of the top five most devastating plant pathogens. By studying this group of proteins, students are connected to real-world problems and participate in the search for potential solutions. A 3-week \"standard Boot Camp\" is implemented to help students familiarize themselves with all basic techniques and boost their confidence. Next, molecular cloning, a versatile technique with modularity and repeatability, is used as the bedrock of the course. Our past 5 years of experience have confirmed that we have developed a novel and feasible CURE protocol. Measurable progress documented by students who took this course includes stimulated active learning and increased career trajectory to pursue hypothesis-based research to address societal needs. In addition, data generated through the course advance ongoing lab research. Collectively, we encourage the implementation of CURE among research-intensive faculty to provide a more inclusive research experience to undergraduate students, an important element in predicting career success.","journal":"Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education","year":2023,"id":379003,"datarank":0.0,"base_score":0.0,"endowment":0.0,"self_citation_contribution":0.0,"citation_network_contribution":0.0,"self_endowment_contribution":0.0,"citer_contribution":0.0,"corpus_percentile":null,"corpus_rank":null,"citation_count":2,"citer_count":0,"citers_with_citation_signal":0,"citers_with_endowment":0,"datacite_reuse_total":0,"is_dataset":false,"is_dataset_confidence":0.9458,"is_data_producer":false,"deposit_databanks":null,"is_oa":true,"file_count":0,"downloads":0,"has_version_chain":false,"published_date":"2023-01-01","fair_score":null,"fair_percentile":null,"algorithm_id":"datarank_citation_only_1hop_v6","ranking_scope":"data_only","authors":[{"id":1143909,"name":"Mai McWilliams","orcid":null,"position":1,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1143466,"name":"Matheus Francisco Barros Rodrigues","orcid":"0000-0003-3441-7640","position":2,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1143467,"name":"Benjamin Mearkle","orcid":"0000-0001-6695-1579","position":3,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1059134,"name":"Nader Jaafar","orcid":null,"position":4,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1143910,"name":"Vivek Golla","orcid":null,"position":5,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":430968,"name":"Houlin Yu","orcid":"0000-0002-5374-2783","position":6,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1143468,"name":"Yang He","orcid":"0000-0001-5514-2370","position":7,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":276825,"name":"Dilay Hazal Ayhan","orcid":"0000-0002-0497-3294","position":8,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1143469,"name":"Kelly‐Ann Allen","orcid":"0000-0002-6813-0034","position":9,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":868929,"name":"Domingo Martínez‐Soto","orcid":"0000-0002-4731-0351","position":10,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":1065930,"name":"Amy Springer","orcid":"0000-0002-9242-5318","position":11,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":58108,"name":"Li‐Jun Ma","orcid":"0000-0002-2733-3708","position":12,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":464549,"name":"Gengtan Li","orcid":null,"position":0,"is_corresponding":true}],"reference_count":20,"raw_metadata":null,"created_at":"2026-07-19T01:16:52.622552Z","pmid":"37702404","pmcid":null,"fwci":null,"citation_percentile":null,"influential_citations":0,"oa_status":null,"license":null,"views":0,"total_file_size_bytes":0,"version_count":0,"fair_f":null,"fair_a":null,"fair_i":null,"fair_r":null,"fair_zscore":null,"fair_rationale":null,"fair_model":null,"fair_agent_version":null,"fair_fulltext_source":null,"fair_has_llm":null,"fair_computed_at":null,"clinical_trials":[],"software_tools":[],"db_accessions":[],"linked_datasets":[],"topics":[]}