Problem based learning: Obtaining enzyme kinetics parameters integrating linear algebra, computer programming and biochemistry curriculum

Abstract

This work is focused on a project that integrates the curriculum of biochemistry, lineal algebra and computer programming. The purpose is that students develop a software tool which calculates enzyme kinetic parameters based on proposed data. This program calculates such parameters using a linear regression of one of the linear forms of the MichaelisMenten equations; moreover it characterizes the confidence of the lineal fit with the correlation coefficient. Once the different proposed steps were accomplished, we concluded that the purpose was satisfactorily reached with an increment in creative ability. The important is that the percentage of failure among students was 57%, 50%, 28% and 18% from 2005 to 2008, respectively. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010.