In this lab course, students don't conduct run-of-the-mill experiments to study molecular biology. Instead, they do original research, and then they learn how to write about it.

In Research Practicum in Molecular and Cell Biology, 15 undergraduates are conducting inquiry-based research this semester on projects that are offshoots of research by graduate students and faculty members in molecular biology and genetics. And because this is a Writing in the Majors course, the instructor has special training to mentor numerous writing projects.

"The major goal of the class is to immerse the students into a project and to put them into the ongoing process of how research works," said Maki Inada, a senior research associate in molecular biology and genetics who developed and teaches the course.

The students work on projects related to research in the labs of Tim Huffaker and Jeff Pleiss, molecular biology and genetics faculty members. Students work in pairs and collaborate throughout the course, just as scientists do. Each pair works on a yeast strain that has a mutation in one known gene that affects either microtubule assembly or RNA processing. Using sophisticated screening techniques, each group has tested nearly 5,000 genes and identified 20-80 genes involved in these cellular processes.

Their next step: to search yeast genome databases to determine if these genes are already known to be involved in these processes, or if the students have identified a novel function for a yeast gene. They are also designing and performing follow-up experiments that would further investigate the role the genes play in these processes, said Inada, adding that the graduate students will continue to pursue these projects after the semester. Students' research from last spring is expected to be published as part of a paper with the postdoctoral fellow who helped design the project.

"I feel like I'm actually learning to be a scientist rather than studying to be one," said Kevin Cheng '10, a biology major, adding that he likes that the research is open-ended.

As for practice in writing, Inada said, "I feel like it's really important for them to not get stuck in the details but really understand in the big picture what it is that they're trying to accomplish." The students not only write about the significance of their class project in nontechnical terms, but they are required to write a description of their research.

Inada said the motivation for developing the course was that only about one-fifth of undergraduate biological sciences majors work in research labs. "Many professors just do not have the time or space for more students, and so this course was set up to try to give more students this opportunity," she said.

Of the 10 students who took the course last year, four used their experience to land research jobs in Cornell labs, and two seniors were hired as full-time research technicians at other universities.

"Without a doubt, I feel that the lab work has provided me with the experience I need to eventually work in another Cornell lab," said biology major Mary Godec '11, adding that it also has prepared her for independent research.

Graduate student Sarah Perdue is a science writer intern for the Chronicle.