Introducing a Novel Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience Using Duckweed as a Model System.

ABSTRACT: Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide a scalable model for engaging students in authentic scientific inquiry, bridging core biological concepts with real-world environmental applications. We introduce a new CURE lab tailored for introductory biology students at the undergraduate level, utilizing duckweed as a model organism to investigate ecological interactions and environmental management. Our paper presents a curriculum that engages students in hands-on research with a focus on duckweed's role in ecosystem dynamics, pollutant remediation, and its potential as a bioresource, along with scientific results from student projects that serve as tangible examples of the curriculum's outcomes. Through experimentation, students explore how duckweed can be applied to add

SUBMITTER: Daniels J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12802901 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature