Courses Based on iGEM/BIOMOD Competitions Are the Ideal Format for Research-Based Learning of Xenobiology

Abstract

Synthetic biology and especially xenobiology, as emerging new fields of science, have reached an intellectual and experimental maturity that makes them suitable for integration into the university curricula of chemical and biological disciplines. Novel scientific fields that include laboratory work are perfect playgrounds for developing highly motivating research-based teaching modules. We believe that research-based learning enriched by digital tools is the best approach for teaching new emerging essentials of academic education. This is especially true when the scientific field as such is still not canonized with text books and best-practice examples. Our experience shows that iGEM/BIOMOD competitions represent an excellent basis for designing research-based courses in xenobiology. Therefore, we present a report on “iGEM–Synthetic Biology” offered at the Technische Universität Berlin as an example.