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Principles of Biomedical Technology (Principles of Biomedical Science)
· 50 centers · 5 unitsLaunch
CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsApply PPE and Read An SDSRead a safety sheet, name the hazard, and match PPE to the body part at risk.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsIdentify Variables and ControlsSort what changes, what is measured, what stays the same, and what comparison group is used.VisualBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsConstruct and Label A GraphBuild a readable graph with a title, labeled axes, units, and a sensible scale.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsCompute Descriptive Statistics Mean, RangeSummarize a small data set by computing mean and range and explaining what each tells you.
Unit 1
CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsDocument A Scene and Log EvidenceRecord a scene with photos, labels, times, and an evidence log before anything is moved.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsDistinguish Observation From InferenceSeparate what you directly notice from conclusions you draw from those clues.CoreHandling, Preparation, Storage and DisposalMaintain Chain Of CustodyKeep evidence trustworthy by recording every label, seal, handoff, time, and receiver.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsCollect Trace Biometric EvidenceCollect small trace evidence and body-based biometric evidence without contaminating it.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsDesign An Evidence TestDesign a fair evidence test with a sample, positive control, negative control, and clear result rule.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsIdentify Biomolecules From Indicator DataUse indicator color changes to identify carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in evidence samples.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsWrite A Mini CERWrite a short claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph from a small set of data.VisualBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsIdentify Tissues Under MicroscopyUse visible microscope features such as fibers, layers, spaces, and cell shape to identify tissue.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsInterpret Toxicology EvidenceCompare toxicology results to cutoffs and controls before making an evidence claim.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsRelate Structure to FunctionExplain how a body structure helps an organ, tissue, or cell do its job.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsSynthesize Multi Source EvidenceCombine independent evidence sources into one careful claim.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsEvaluate Reliability LimitationsJudge whether evidence is trustworthy enough and name what limits the claim.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsWrite A Forensic ReportWrite a forensic report that separates evidence, conclusion, and limitations.
Unit 2
CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsCollect and Chart Vital SignsUse patient evidence to collect and chart vital signs without overclaiming.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsConduct A Patient HistoryUse patient evidence to conduct a patient history without overclaiming.CoreHandling, Preparation, Storage and DisposalApply Privacy Rules HIPAAUse patient evidence to apply privacy rules (hipaa) without overclaiming.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsInterpret Bloodwork Against Normal RangesUse patient evidence to interpret bloodwork against normal ranges without overclaiming.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsIdentify Risk FactorsUse patient evidence to identify risk factors without overclaiming.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsRead Monitoring DataUse patient evidence to read monitoring data without overclaiming.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsModel DNA to ProteinBuild a protein from DNA: copy the template strand into mRNA (T to U), then read codons to name the amino acids.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsTrace A Mutation to A PhenotypeFollow a single DNA base change through the mRNA codon and amino acid to the trait it causes.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsRead A Codon ChartLook up mRNA codons on a chart to name the amino acid, the start codon, and the stop codons.VisualBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsInterpret A KaryotypeCount chromosomes in a karyotype to spot a normal set (46), an extra chromosome (trisomy), or a missing one.VisualBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsRead A PedigreeUse a genetics model to read a pedigree with clear limits.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsEstimate Genetic RiskUse a genetics model to estimate genetic risk with clear limits.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsSynthesize A Diagnostic WorkupUse patient evidence to synthesize a diagnostic workup without overclaiming.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsForm A Differential DiagnosisUse patient evidence to form a differential diagnosis without overclaiming.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsJustify A RecommendationUse patient evidence to justify a recommendation without overclaiming.
Unit 3
CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsDiagram The Chain Of InfectionUse infection evidence to diagram the chain of infection step by step.CoreHandling, Preparation, Storage and DisposalApply Aseptic TechniqueUse infection evidence to apply aseptic technique step by step.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsExplain Immune ResponseUse infection evidence to explain immune response step by step.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsBuild A Line ListUse infection evidence to build a line list step by step.VisualBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsConstruct An Epidemic CurveUse infection evidence to construct an epidemic curve step by step.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsIdentify A Causative AgentUse infection evidence to identify a causative agent step by step.CoreHandling, Preparation, Storage and DisposalApply A Triage ProtocolApply emergency or public-health rules to apply a triage protocol.CoreHandling, Preparation, Storage and DisposalCalculate A DoseApply emergency or public-health rules to calculate a dose.CoreHandling, Preparation, Storage and DisposalExplain Drug MetabolismApply emergency or public-health rules to explain drug metabolism.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsDesign A Surge ResponseApply emergency or public-health rules to design a surge response.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsPlan Public Health CommunicationApply emergency or public-health rules to plan public-health communication.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsApply Usability PrinciplesUse evidence and design criteria to apply usability principles.
Unit 4
CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsRun The Engineering Design ProcessUse evidence and design criteria to run the engineering design process.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsWrite A Test PlanUse evidence and design criteria to write a test plan.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsIterate From DataUse evidence and design criteria to iterate from data.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsPitch A Data Backed InnovationUse evidence and design criteria to pitch a data-backed innovation.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsRevise From EvidenceUse evidence and design criteria to revise from evidence.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsState Limitations and Next StepsJudge whether evidence is trustworthy enough and name what limits the claim.
Genetics of Disease (Medical Interventions)
· 52 centers · 5 unitsLaunch
CoreLaboratory Standard Operational ProceduresApply PPE SDS and Aseptic SetupRead a safety sheet, name the hazard, and match PPE to the body part at risk.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsCategorize Medical InterventionsSort medical interventions by what they do for a patient or population.CoreLaboratory Standard Operational ProceduresSet Up A Lab NotebookSet up a lab notebook so another scientist can follow what happened.
Unit 1
FoundationalBiotechnology Research & Experiments (BRE)Telling a sign from a symptomSort what a clinician can measure (signs) from what a patient reports (symptoms).CoreBio-Molecular Technology (BMT) / Culturing (CULT)Why antibiotics hit bacteria but not virusesConnect drug targets to cell structure to explain why antibiotics fail on viral infections.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research & Experiments (BRE)Building an outbreak claim from multiple evidence sourcesMake a claim-evidence-reasoning argument supported by independent lines of evidence, not a single clue.VisualBio-Molecular Technology (BMT)Reading a serial-dilution / ELISA standard curveUse a standard curve to turn an absorbance reading into a concentration.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsBuild An Outbreak Line ListUse infection evidence to build an outbreak line list step by step.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsClassify PathogensUse infection evidence to classify pathogens step by step.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsMap Symptom Clusters to A HypothesisUse infection evidence to map symptom clusters to a hypothesis step by step.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsInterpret A BLAST Result E-value, CoverageUse molecular-test evidence to interpret a blast result (e-value, coverage) accurately.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsRead a DNA SequenceUse chromatogram peak evidence to read a DNA sequence accurately.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsUse Controls In IdentificationUse molecular-test evidence to use controls in identification accurately.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsPerform Serial DilutionsUse molecular-test evidence to perform serial dilutions accurately.VisualBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsBuild A Standard CurveUse molecular-test evidence to build a standard curve accurately.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsModel Antigen Antibody BindingUse molecular-test evidence to model antigen-antibody binding accurately.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsRun An ELISA With ControlsUse molecular-test evidence to run an elisa with controls accurately.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsDistinguish Sensitivity vs SpecificityUse molecular-test evidence to distinguish sensitivity vs specificity accurately.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsEvaluate False Positive Negative RiskUse molecular-test evidence to evaluate false positive/negative risk accurately.CoreCulturingInterpret Zone-of-Inhibition MICUse culture and antibiotic evidence to interpret zone-of-inhibition / mic.CoreCulturingExplain Antibiotic MechanismUse culture and antibiotic evidence to explain antibiotic mechanism.BenchmarkCulturingArgue StewardshipUse culture and antibiotic evidence to argue stewardship.CoreLaboratory Standard Operational ProceduresApply Aseptic TechniqueUse infection evidence to apply aseptic technique step by step.CoreCulturingCulture and Count ColoniesUse culture and antibiotic evidence to culture and count colonies.CoreCulturingExplain Resistance Gene SpreadUse culture and antibiotic evidence to explain resistance gene spread.VisualBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsInterpret An AudiogramUse hearing or immune-response evidence to interpret an audiogram.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsModel Vaccine Immune ResponseUse infection evidence to model vaccine/immune response step by step.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsCalculate Herd Immunity ThresholdsUse hearing or immune-response evidence to calculate herd-immunity thresholds.
Unit 2
VisualBio-Molecular TechnologyRead A PedigreeUse a genetics model to read a pedigree with clear limits.CoreBio-Molecular TechnologyInterpret SNP DataRead a SNP table: compare alleles across people to find where two individuals differ or which SNP tracks a trait.CoreBio-Molecular TechnologyWrite A Genetic Counseling MemoStructure a genetic-counseling memo: state what the test shows, what it cannot prove (the limitation), and the recommended next step.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsDiagram A PCRDiagram a PCR cycle: order the three steps (denature, anneal, extend) and label what happens at each temperature.VisualBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsInterpret Gel BandsRead a gel: smaller DNA fragments travel farther (lower). Compare a band to the labeled ladder to estimate its size.VisualCulturingRead A MicroarrayRead an expression microarray: each spot is a gene; the signal color tells you if it is up- or down-regulated versus a reference.VisualBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsInterpret An Expression Heat MapRead an expression heat map using the legend (red = high, blue = low) to tell which gene is up or down in a sample.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsCompute Fold ChangeUse molecular-test evidence to compute fold change accurately.CoreBio-Molecular TechnologySeparate Risk From DiagnosisUse a genetics model to separate risk from diagnosis with clear limits.CoreBio-Molecular TechnologyCompare Viral VectorsCompare AAV, lentivirus, and adenovirus on integration, payload size, and immune response to pick the best vector for a stated need.CoreBio-Molecular TechnologyDistinguish Somatic vs Germline EditingUse gene-therapy evidence to distinguish somatic vs germline editing with ethical limits.BenchmarkBio-Molecular TechnologyArgue A CRISPR Ethics CERBuild a CER: identify the claim, the strongest evidence, and the reasoning in a CRISPR-ethics case, and pick the best-supported claim.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsSynthesize Testing to TreatmentUse molecular-test evidence to synthesize testing-to-treatment accurately.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsEvaluate Validity ReliabilityJudge whether evidence is trustworthy enough and name what limits the claim.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsPlan Treatment From DataUse patient evidence to plan treatment from data without overclaiming.
Unit 3
CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsRelate Cancer to Loss Of RegulationWrite a short claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph from a small set of data.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsClassify Tumor TypesUse cancer evidence to classify tumor types from cell regulation through treatment planning.VisualBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsBuild A Diagnostic WorkflowUse cancer evidence to build a diagnostic workflow from cell regulation through treatment planning.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsCompare Treatment OptionsUse cancer evidence to compare treatment options from cell regulation through treatment planning.CoreBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsInterpret StagingUse cancer evidence to interpret staging from cell regulation through treatment planning.BenchmarkBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsRecommend A Treatment PlanUse evidence to recommend a treatment plan in a biomedical case.
Unit 4
VisualBiotechnology Research and ExperimentsTrace A Recombinant Protein WorkflowOrder the steps of making a human protein with recombinant DNA: gene to plasmid to host cells to expression to purification.BenchmarkBio-Molecular TechnologyApply HLA Transplant MatchingUse organ-failure biotechnology evidence to apply hla/transplant matching.CoreBio-Molecular TechnologyCompare Tissue Engineering OptionsUse organ-failure biotechnology evidence to compare tissue-engineering options.
Human Anatomy & Physiology (Human Body Systems)
· 48 centers · 5 unitsLaunch
FoundationalHuman Body Systems: anatomy language & labUsing directional and regional termsPlace body structures using the standard direction words anatomists agree on, from anatomical position.FoundationalHuman Body Systems: anatomy language & labApplying PPE and reading an SDSChoose the right personal protective equipment and find safety facts on a Safety Data Sheet before a lab.CoreHuman Body Systems: anatomy language & labUsing measurement normsRecord body data in SI units with correct significant figures and read it against a baseline to judge homeostasis.
Unit 1
CoreHuman Body Systems: organization of the bodyApply body planes and cavitiesSlice the body along the three anatomical planes and place a structure in the dorsal or ventral cavity.CoreHuman Body Systems: organization of the bodyClassify tissue typesSort a structure into one of the four primary tissue types by what its job is.BenchmarkHuman Body Systems: organization of the bodyMap anatomy on a patient caseCombine directional terms and planes to pinpoint where a structure is on a real patient.FoundationalHuman Body Systems: skeletal systemRelate bone structure to functionConnect the two kinds of bone tissue (compact and spongy) to the jobs each one does in the body.CoreHuman Body Systems: skeletal systemAnalyze a fractureName a broken bone by the pattern of the break and connect it to how bones and joints move.CoreHuman Body Systems: skeletal systemExplain bone remodelingExplain how two kinds of bone cells constantly build and break down bone to keep the skeleton healthy.CoreHuman Body Systems: muscular systemModel the sliding-filament mechanismExplain how myosin pulls actin so a sarcomere shortens: without the filaments themselves getting shorter.CoreHuman Body Systems: muscular systemIdentify origin and insertionTell a muscle's origin (on the bone that stays put) from its insertion (on the bone that moves).CoreHuman Body Systems: muscular systemExplain leverage and movementTreat bones as levers and joints as fulcrums to explain how muscles move the body.FoundationalHuman Body Systems: kinesiology & sensor dataCollect EMG/ROM sensor dataUse sensors to record a muscle's electrical signal (EMG) and read clean motion data.CoreHuman Body Systems: kinesiology & sensor dataQuantify muscle fatigueUse force or EMG data to show that a muscle's output declines as it tires.CoreHuman Body Systems: kinesiology & sensor dataTest joint range of motionMeasure how far a joint moves, in degrees, using a goniometer.CoreHuman Body Systems: rehabilitation & assistive techBuild a rehabilitation planSet measurable recovery goals and load an injured tissue gradually so it gets stronger without re-injury.CoreHuman Body Systems: rehabilitation & assistive techInterpret patient-portal dataRead a patient's progress data over time and judge whether recovery is improving, flat, or getting worse.CoreHuman Body Systems: rehabilitation & assistive techSelect assistive devicesMatch the right assistive device: crutch, brace, or cane: to a patient's specific limitation.
Unit 2
CoreHuman Body Systems: nervous systemTrace a neural signal through a neuronFollow a message from one neuron's dendrite to the next across a synapse, naming where it is electrical and where it is chemical.CoreHuman Body Systems: nervous systemIdentify the major brain structuresLocate the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem and match each to the kind of job it does.BenchmarkHuman Body Systems: nervous systemRelate structure to function in the nervous systemUse the layout of the nervous system: CNS versus PNS, and a neuron's shape: to explain why each part can do its job.VisualHuman Body Systems: reflexes & signalingMap a reflex arcTrace a reflex from the stimulus through receptor, neurons, and spinal cord to the response: and explain why it skips the brain.CoreHuman Body Systems: reflexes & signalingMeasure reaction timeUse ruler-drop trial data to compare reaction times and read the trend: remembering that a faster reaction means a shorter time.BenchmarkHuman Body Systems: reflexes & signalingExplain drug effects on signalingPredict how a drug changes a synapse: an agonist boosts the signal, an antagonist blocks it: and how myelin speeds the signal along.FoundationalHuman Body Systems: endocrine systemDiagram a negative feedback loopLabel the setpoint, sensor, control center, and effector and show how a negative feedback loop opposes a change to hold homeostasis.CoreHuman Body Systems: endocrine systemRelate hormones to their glands and target organsTrace each hormone from the gland that makes it to the target organ it acts on.CoreHuman Body Systems: endocrine systemModel blood glucose regulationUse insulin and glucagon to model how the body lowers and raises blood glucose to hold it near the setpoint.FoundationalHuman Body Systems: research methodsDesign a model-organism studyChoose and justify a model organism, then plan a study that can actually be run on it.CoreHuman Body Systems: research methodsControl variablesChange one thing on purpose, hold everything else steady, and keep a group that gets no change.BenchmarkHuman Body Systems: research methodsRead scientific literatureFind the claim, find the evidence, and judge how strong the study really is.CoreHuman Body Systems: investigation & data analysisRun an open investigationTurn a real problem into a testable question, a plan, and a hypothesis you can actually check.VisualHuman Body Systems: investigation & data analysisBuild data tables and graphsOrganize measurements into a labeled table, then pick and label the graph that fits the data.CoreHuman Body Systems: investigation & data analysisState limitationsName what could weaken a result: small sample size, measurement error, and confounders: and what the data still can't show.
Unit 3
CoreHuman Body Systems: cardiovascular systemTrace blood through the heartFollow one drop of blood through the four chambers and valves, separating the lung loop from the body loop.CoreHuman Body Systems: cardiovascular systemInterpret an EKGRead the P wave, QRS complex, and T wave on an EKG and connect each one to an electrical event in the heart.CoreHuman Body Systems: cardiovascular systemRelate vessels to functionConnect the structure of arteries, veins, and capillaries to the job each one does in circulation.CoreHuman Body Systems: respiratory systemMeasure lung volumes (spirometry)Read a spirometer's volumes and add the right ones together to find a person's vital capacity.CoreHuman Body Systems: respiratory systemExplain gas exchangeExplain how oxygen and carbon dioxide cross the alveolus by diffusion, from high concentration to low.CoreHuman Body Systems: respiratory systemClear a client for activityUse a client's oxygen saturation to decide whether it is safe to clear them for hard activity.CoreHuman Body Systems: immune systemModel innate vs. adaptive immunitySort the body's defenses into the fast, non-specific first line (innate) and the slower, specific line that remembers (adaptive).CoreHuman Body Systems: immune systemExplain the antigen-antibody responseShow how a B cell makes an antibody that binds one specific antigen like a lock and key.FoundationalHuman Body Systems: immune systemRelate skin and lymph to defenseConnect the skin's barrier role and the lymph nodes' filtering role to the body's defense system.CoreHuman Body Systems: virology & riskRunning and reading a plaque assayCount clear plaques to measure how many infectious virus particles are in a sample (titer in PFU/mL).CoreHuman Body Systems: virology & riskAssessing pathogen riskEstimate risk by combining how likely an infection is (likelihood) with how bad it would be (severity).CoreHuman Body Systems: virology & riskPlanning risk mitigationChoose barriers, PPE, vaccination, and sanitation that lower a pathogen's likelihood or severity to reduce overall risk.
Unit 4
CoreHuman Body Systems: renal & digestiveModel nephron filtrationTrace blood through one nephron: what gets filtered at the glomerulus, what is reabsorbed by the tubule, and what becomes urine.VisualHuman Body Systems: renal & digestiveInterpret a urinalysis resultRead a urinalysis (or protein electrophoresis) value against its normal range to decide whether a result is healthy or signals a problem.CoreHuman Body Systems: renal & digestiveExplain enzyme and microbiome roles in digestionMatch each digestive enzyme to the food it breaks down and explain how the gut microbiome helps digestion and makes some vitamins.
Biotechnology for Health (Biomedical Innovations)
· 48 centers · 8 unitsLaunch
FoundationalBiomedical Innovation: lab safety & design processApply PPE and read an SDSChoose the right protective gear and pull the safety facts you need from a chemical's safety sheet before you start lab work.CoreBiomedical Innovation: lab safety & design processSet up a design notebook and portfolioOrganize a design notebook so a problem, its criteria, and its constraints are easy to find and reuse in your innovation portfolio.CoreBiomedical Innovation: lab safety & design processEstablish an evidence routineBuild a steady documentation cadence so every claim in your project is backed by a dated, recorded observation.
Unit 1
FoundationalBiomedical Innovation: systems & human-centered designMap the stakeholders of an ERList everyone affected by an emergency-room design and name what each one actually needs.CoreBiomedical Innovation: systems & human-centered designAnalyze patient flow and systems constraintsTrace how patients move through an ER and find the constraint that slows the whole system down.FoundationalBiomedical Innovation: systems & human-centered designWrite a team contractAgree on roles, norms, and a decision rule before the ER design work starts so the team stays on track.CoreBiomedical Innovation: research & information literacyEvaluate source credibility and biasJudge whether a source is trustworthy by checking who wrote it, when, and what evidence backs it.CoreBiomedical Innovation: research & information literacyCite prior artFind existing designs and ideas, then give credit with an accurate citation instead of claiming them as your own.CoreBiomedical Innovation: research & information literacyRun a needs assessmentFind out what users actually need before designing, by gathering evidence about the gap between the current situation and the goal.FoundationalBiomedical Innovation: prototyping & human factorsWrite a design briefTurn a messy ER problem into a clear design brief that lists what the design must do (criteria) and the limits it must stay inside (constraints).CoreBiomedical Innovation: prototyping & human factorsModel a floor plan + process flowMap how a patient moves through the ER step by step (the process flow) and use it to plan a floor plan and the staff each step needs.CoreBiomedical Innovation: prototyping & human factorsLog prototype revisionsKeep a clear record of each prototype change, why it was made, and what testing showed: so the design improves on purpose, one iteration at a time.
Unit 2
CoreBiomedical Innovation: research design & iterationRevising a design from user feedbackTurn what testers actually struggled with into specific, testable design changes: instead of guessing.BenchmarkBiomedical Innovation: research design & iterationDesigning a controlled studyBuild a fair test: one thing changed on purpose, everything else held steady, and a group to compare against.CoreBiomedical Innovation: research design & iterationDefining the variables in an experimentLabel the three roles in any test: the one you change, the one you measure, and the ones you keep the same.FoundationalBiomedical Innovation: data & statisticsExperimental vs. observational studyDecide whether a physiology study changed a condition on purpose (experimental) or just watched and recorded (observational).CoreBiomedical Innovation: data & statisticsComputing the mean and standard deviationAdd up a small data set to find its mean (average), then measure how spread out the values are with the standard deviation.CoreBiomedical Innovation: data & statisticsChoosing a sample sizeDecide how many people to include so results are trustworthy, and see why a t-test asks whether two group means differ more than chance.CoreBiomedical Innovation: data analysis & argumentChoosing the right graph for the dataMatch the data type to the graph: bar for categories, line for change over time, scatter for two numeric variables.CoreBiomedical Innovation: data analysis & argumentSpotting bias and measurement errorTell a slanted study (bias) from a noisy measurement (error), and random error from systematic error.BenchmarkBiomedical Innovation: data analysis & argumentWriting a CER that names its limitationsBuild a claim-evidence-reasoning argument that uses statistical significance and replication, and honestly states its limitations.
Unit 3
CoreBiomedical Innovation: design & feasibilityDefining a design problemTurn a vague complaint about patient care into a clear problem statement with measurable design criteria.BenchmarkBiomedical Innovation: design & feasibilityWeighing tradeoffs and feasibilityCompare design options on cost, risk, and benefit to judge which one is actually feasible against the stated criteria.CoreBiomedical Innovation: design & feasibilityPlanning a prototypeTurn chosen design criteria into a concrete prototype plan: what to build first, with what, and how to test it against the criteria.CoreBiomedical Innovation: validation & evidenceConduct a literature reviewSearch, screen, and summarize what experts already published before you design a new device.BenchmarkBiomedical Innovation: validation & evidenceBuild a decision matrixScore design options against weighted criteria to choose the best one with evidence, not gut feeling.CoreBiomedical Innovation: validation & evidenceDefine validation metricsSet measurable success criteria so you can prove a prototype actually works.
Unit 4
FoundationalBiomedical Innovation: environmental health & toxicologyMap exposure pathwaysTrace how a toxin moves from its source to a person's body to decide who is actually exposed.CoreBiomedical Innovation: environmental health & toxicologyRelate dose to responseRead a dose-response pattern to predict how the size of an exposure changes the body's reaction, including buildup over time.BenchmarkBiomedical Innovation: environmental health & toxicologyAssess public-health riskSeparate a pollutant's hazard from the real-world risk it poses by combining how harmful it is with how much people are exposed.CoreBiomedical Innovation: data, error & causationBuild a claim-supporting graphPick what to plot and read the trend so the graph actually backs the claim you are making.CoreBiomedical Innovation: data, error & causationIdentify outliers and errorSpot a data point that sits far from the others and read what error bars tell you about a measurement's spread.BenchmarkBiomedical Innovation: data, error & causationSeparate correlation from causationTell 'two things move together' from 'one thing causes the other,' and spot a hidden third factor (confounder).
Unit 5
CoreBiomedical Innovation: epidemiology & public healthBuild a line listTurn scattered case reports into one organized table: a line list: so you can spot who got sick, when, and who they were near.BenchmarkBiomedical Innovation: epidemiology & public healthCompute incidence and prevalenceTell apart two key public-health numbers: how many NEW cases appear in a period (incidence) and how many people have the illness right now (prevalence).BenchmarkBiomedical Innovation: epidemiology & public healthDesign an interventionChoose a public-health action that fits the problem, and place it at the right prevention level: stopping illness before it starts, catching it early, or limiting harm after.CoreBiomedical Innovation: health communicationTarget an audience and fit the message to themPick the specific group of people you want to reach (your audience) and shape the health message so it actually lands with them.CoreBiomedical Innovation: health communicationApply privacy and usability to a health productProtect people's private health information and make the product easy to understand and use.BenchmarkBiomedical Innovation: health communicationMake evidence-based recommendationsUse the data you collected to recommend an action, instead of guessing or going with opinion.
Unit 6
CoreBiomedical Innovation: recombinant DNA & cloningPlan a recombinant-DNA workflowPut the steps of building recombinant DNA in order: cut with an enzyme, join with ligase, carry it in a plasmid.CoreBiomedical Innovation: recombinant DNA & cloningJustify experimental controlsExplain why a transformation experiment needs a positive control that should grow and a negative control that should not.BenchmarkBiomedical Innovation: recombinant DNA & cloningPredict cloning outcomesPredict which cells will grow after a cloning experiment using competent cells, ligation, and antibiotic selection.CoreBiomedical Innovation: transformation & gel electrophoresisRun a transformation with selectionMove a plasmid into bacteria, then use a selective plate to tell which cells actually took it up.VisualBiomedical Innovation: transformation & gel electrophoresisInterpret a gel against a ladderUse a DNA ladder of known sizes to estimate how big an unknown DNA band is from how far it traveled.CoreBiomedical Innovation: transformation & gel electrophoresisRead a restriction digestCount cut sites on a piece of DNA and work out how many fragments a restriction enzyme will produce.
Unit 7
CoreBiomedical Innovation: forensics & independent researchMaintain chain of custodyKeep an unbroken, signed handoff trail for every piece of evidence so it can be trusted later.CoreBiomedical Innovation: forensics & independent researchFrame a research question + methodsTurn a broad interest into one specific, measurable, testable question and a method that can actually answer it.BenchmarkBiomedical Innovation: forensics & independent researchAudit a final portfolioCheck a finished project for completeness, proper consent, and honest data before it is submitted.
Learning Centers cover every skill across all four PLTW courses (PBS, MI, HBS, BI). HBS and PBS are draft pending final PLTW alignment.