Brian A. Cobb
Immunology and the biomedical student pipeline
Case Western Reserve University|University School
science education middle high school levels critical often overlooked component biomedical researcher pipeline todays increasingly technologydriven world maintaining forward progress sciences requires steady stream students interested pursuing careers science technology however attracting best students science upon arrival university often late concomitantly science proficiency continues trend downward usa particularly minority populations fig 1 1 topics immunology frequently avoided within biology classroom despite growing emphasis immunology within college board advanced placement program ap wwwcollegeboardcom exams increasing appreciation role immune response plethora health problems programs john h wallace high school teacher jhwhst program httpwwwaaiorgcommitteeseducationteachersprogramhtm administered american association immunologists aai httpwwwaaiorg created address issues directly educating exciting secondary school biology teachers immunology hope raising scientific literacy general student therefore public population possibly inspiring greater number students become next generation biological scientists naep science scores 9year period 1996 2005 analyzed function ethnicity groups except asianpacific islander scores fallen statistically significant degree early 1980s john h wallace infectious disease investigator university louisville school medicine kentucky usa 13year member aai minority affairs committee starting 1980 developed program within laboratory local high school science teachers given opportunity conduct experiments order gain exposure immunology modern research techniques 1985 aai members carl pierce judy kapp help joseph mcinerney biological sciences curriculum study colorado usa joseph saunders aai executive director time followed dr wallaces example founded program local teachers st louis missouri usa unlike dr wallaces private efforts program funded aai overseen education committee 1993 aaisponsored program named honor dr wallaces original initiative since inception 140 teachers participated 22 different states spread across country fig 2 distribution teachers jhwhst program since 1996 time total 68 teachers representing 22 states wide distribution across us participated program ohio new york massachusetts showing highest proportion colors represent number teachers state see key unrepresented states white map generated using tools httpmonarchtamuedumaps2ushtm 1995 david scott director program time researcher american red cross successfully applied r25 education grant national institute allergy infectious disease httpwww3niaidnihgov leadership program passed john schreiber case western reserve university successfully renewed r25 funding 2004 soon grant renewal art tzianabos harvard medical school took helm program 3 years 2007 current director brian cobb assistant professor case western reserve university school medicine member aai education committee became director present jhwhst program funded managed aai whereas r25 grant renewal pending national institute allergy infectious disease state science education usa secondary schools closely monitored using standardized exam scores perhaps visible assessments national assessment educational progress naep also known nations report card httpnationsreportcardgovscience2005 1 2005 46 students usa scored standard basic science literacy certain groups shown score significantly worse scores disaggregated reporting ethnicity economic status nearly groups seen significant decreases science scores recent years ethnic economic gaps striking twentyeight percent white students scored basic science proficiency whereas 73 black 67 hispanic students scored basic similarly 63 students families qualify free lunch programs fell basic proficiency science compared 29 students ineligible programs trends inversely mirrored percentages students scoring advanced range 4 white lunch program ineligible students hispanic black students showing advanced skills differences male female students striking although remain significant females consistently scoring male counterparts surprisingly story much collegiate professional levels 2 httpwwwpisaoecdorg minority groups make least 25 total usa workforce yet 3 scientists least bachelors degree science hispanic 2006 39 college students usa majoring life science degree program within group blackafrican american hispaniclatino american indianalaska native students significantly underrepresented much 50 fig 3 httpncesedgov 2 percentage students majoring life sciences 2006 based naep surveys white native hawaiianpacific islander one race demographic groups represented proportional level blue compared total student population gray asian students highly represented life sciences green yet blackafrican american hispaniclatino american indianalaska native groups underrepresented red total number students majoring life sciences 2006 39 industrialized countries like usa science technology cornerstones economic growth increased productivity improvements health statistics reminder impending crisis face filling gaps scientific endeavor babyboom generation reaches retirement age addition scientifically literate society better understand need basic research role science everyday situations thus helping sustain private public support national institutes health wwwnihgov national science foundation wwwnsfgov nationally privately funded scientific agencies indeed educated public would better equipped decide many ethical questions underlie rapid scientific advances aai jhwhst program founded upon fundamental need improve science education secondary school level raise awareness excitement immunology assist narrowing performance gaps gender ethnic socioeconomic groups within united states taking handson topdown approach learning jhwhst program relatively simple approach interested teachers apply program assistance active aai member nearby university often program director aai staff assist connecting interested teachers potential mentors vice versa create short research plan teacher join aai members laboratory 35 wk summer six new participants selected year based primarily plan teachers chosen program year given 5000 stipend opportunity attend first three days weeklong aaisponsored introductory course immunology usually occurs june following introduction usually first exposure immunology many teachers join respective research labs conduct experiments immersed modern world biomedical research often case also highly encouraged teachers develop new laboratory exercise students time laboratory upon completion phase program throughout following several months work tandem research mentor curriculum expert translate laboratory experience lab exercise nationallystandardized curriculum unit classroom ultimately available free download aai website httpwwwaaiorgcommitteeseducationhighhtm finally teachermentor pairs invited participate aai annual meeting special workshop held year showcases teachers curricula developed summer laboratory experience teacher gives oral poster presentation work also personal experiences program area science teachers invited attend session well aai meeting free meeting teachers curricula posted aai website remain archived public access usage httpwwwaaiorgcommitteeseducationhighhtm rationale targeting secondary teachers partially flows timing required set students path toward science student entered college likely much late spark interest scientific career indeed national science foundation found end high school attitudes students toward science set generally change later life 3 aai believes enthusiastic welltrained secondary school teacher strongly influence students period young life career path selected program focused upon teachers rather individual students therefore affords ability reach large numbers students ie many 1000 year influence exciting fun laboratory exercises led science teachers another reason focus teachers underrepresentation women minorities reflected student performance example percentage students basic proficiency high minority students whereas number minority biology teachers serve positive role model quite low according national center education statistics moreover among high school biology teachers job satisfaction fairly low average less 50 reporting high job satisfaction 244 biology teachers report highly satisfied equipment facilities available jhwhst program committed recruiting women minority teachers enrich knowledge experience science intended effect closing performance gaps creating positive role models young students generating greater interest excitement teaching biology passed students immunology highly interdisciplinary reach reason represents particularly good choice understanding new threats biological terrorism warfare continuing worldwide aids pandemic new reemerging infectious diseases central role immune system pathogenesis asthma allergy autoimmunity transplantation response cancer fact immunological research employs even bridges wide variety biological themes include molecular biology genetics cell biology biochemistry physiology virology oncology pathology critical emphasis jhwhst program example systemic lupus erythematosus autoimmune disorder immune system attack nearly every major system body including skin joints heart blood lungs kidney even brain result immunologist interested systemic lupus erythematosus could potentially working organ systems thereby providing jhwhst program teacher broad laboratory experience inflammation another elegant example immune response directly affect tissue body finally study evolution using immune system molecules area active research increasingly popular speed modern molecular biology tools eg whole genome sequencing differences development immune systems ranging insects humans provide outstanding platform learn understand fundamental biological concept addition ap biology course curriculum usa integrates immunology topic must covered high school biology teachers however little direct knowledge immunology indeed several recent jhwhst program participants commented program made tremendous impact ability cover immunology provide students complete picture required information ap exam immunology outstanding point origin educational program biology jhwhst program immunology serve generalists point view tying themes biological systems together also offers appreciation underlying immunologic phenomena promoting immunology sparking interest secondary school students opens door many facets biomedical sciences healthrelated research participating teachers students hope programs jhwhst program help reverse recent trends provide basis addressing growing shortage individuals pursuing careers science increasingly science technologydriven economy