Protein Folding in Science Education: A Perfect Crosscutting Concept

The more I teach students in my Biochemistry class about the intricacies of Protein Folding, the more certain I become that it is a perfect learning medium for uniting various disciplines. From protein translation in biology, to intermolecular forces in chemistry, to applications of AI in computer science, developing an appreciation for the structure-function relationship in biology via investigating the elegant nature of how proteins fold is a powerful way to unite STEM disciplines. Below are a few activities I am currently using with my students in chemistry, biology, and engineering courses.

• FoldIt (Engineering/Computer Science Application): Free software that teachings protein folding through online gaming.
• Mini Toobers (Chemistry Application): Excellent way to teach intermolecular forces (via amino acid hydrogen bonding) and covalent bonding (via disulfide bridges).
• Hydrophobic Packing Simulation (Chemistry/Biology Application): Visual method for observing effects of polarity on protein structure.
• Paper Models (Engineering/Biology): Excellent way to physically interact with the protein secondary and tertiary structure.
• AlphaFold (Computer Science): System that uses AI to solve the "Protein Folding Problem".