StarCellBio is a free educational digital learning
tool that allows students to perform virtual cell and
molecular biology experiments. StarCellBio was
developed at MIT by Biology faculty, educational
researchers, and programmers and was designed
specifically to work across platforms in a Google
Chrome web browser. The goal of StarCellBio is to
enhance student understanding of cell and molecular
biology experimental techniques by providing students
with the opportunity to design, conduct, and analyze
their own simulated experiments using 3 classic cell
and molecular biology experimental techniques:
western blotting, flow cytometry, and microscopy.
StarCellBio is designed for implementation in either
lecture- or laboratory-based undergraduate cell and
molecular biology courses.
Using StarCellBio
To get started,
navigate tostarcellbio.mit.eduin a Google Chrome web
browser.
Click 'Try an
Experiment' on the right side of the homepage to
try StarCellBio as a guest or click 'Create Student
Account' to setup your own student account.
Features
StarCellBio contains the following key features:
Experimental
design page for students to reflect upon an
experiment's goals and hypothesis as well as the
experiment's best suited experimental
techniques.
Experiment setup
page for students to select the necessary strains,
treatments, and experimental conditions for their
experiments.
3 classic cell
and molecular biology experimental techniques:
western blotting, flow cytometry, and
microscopy.
Realistic
simulated data for western blotting and flow
cytometry experimental techniques and the display
of real microscopy images in the microscopy
experimental technique.
Student accounts
for students to securely access StarCellBio
assignments and save their work between work
sessions.
In addition,
StarCellBio contains the following resources:
Exercises that
cover key cell and molecular biology concepts such
as protein expression levels, subcellular protein
localization, transmembrane protein orientation,
and signaling transduction.
7 animations on
the experimental techniques and concepts relevant
to StarCellBio and a video highlighting how a
western blotting experiment is performed in a real
laboratory environment.
4 video tutorials
on how to navigate and use the tool.
Reference library
to enhance student understanding of the biological
principles contained within the program.
User manual that
contains information on how to use
StarCellBio.
Contact us link
to send the StarCellBio development team questions,
comments, bug alerts, or feature requests.
