Science without a script

In a handful of biology labs at Case Western Reserve University, undergraduate students move between benches, comparing results, adjusting experiments and taking notes. There’s no single “right” answer waiting for them—only questions they’re working to understand.

These labs are part of the Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences, or CUREs—an approach that brings authentic research into the classroom and gives students the opportunity to participate in discovery.

Unlike traditional lab courses, which typically guide students through a series of predetermined experiments, CUREs center on open-ended questions. Students still learn foundational techniques—lab safety, culturing organisms and genetic analysis—but they apply those skills to problems without clear answers.

“The key idea is that students are learning how to do biological techniques to answer an unanswered biological question,” said Michael Benard, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Biology.

That shift changes not only what students learn, but how they engage with the material. Instead of completing weekly tasks, they work toward a semester-long research goal, adapting their approach based on what happens in the lab.

In a CURE course taught this semester by biology instructor Fritz Peterson, PhD, students analyze soil samples and search for bacteria that produce antibiotic compounds with the ultimate goal of discovering opportunities to prevent antibiotic resistance. They design parts of their own experiments, choosing methods and variables to test, and then interpret the results—even when things don’t go as planned.

"If you get a bad result, that's not the end of it—that's not where science stops" explained Peterson. "The goal is for students to reflect and say, 'Why didn't this grow? What can I do differently? How can I amend my approach?'"

In another course, taught by biology instructor Kathleen Hershberger, PhD (CWR ’09), students are working to answer the question: are alternative sweeteners—like aspartame—a good replacement for high glucose diets?

They’ve spent the semester investigating how different sweeteners affect the physiology of small roundworms called C. elegans, a near-microscopic model organism. Working in pairs, they expose the worms to different diets—either high glucose or an alternative sweetener of their choice—measure changes in size and survival, and analyze genetic data using molecular biology techniques.

For many students, the experience is both exciting and unfamiliar. Without a predetermined outcome, success is no longer defined by getting the “right” answer. “They’re really apprehensive at first,” said Hershberger. “But we remind them that in real research, we don’t know what the outcome is going to be.”

Instead, students are evaluated on their ability to design experiments, problem-solve, interpret data and communicate their findings. Written reports, lab notebooks and poster presentations mirror the expectations of professional research environments. Over time, faculty members say, that approach builds both confidence and curiosity.

“I often see them asking more questions later in the semester,” Hershberger said. “That’s a great sign that they’re thinking more about what they’re doing and why.”

The model also helps students develop a more realistic understanding of science; experiments may need to be repeated, data can be messy, and progress often comes through trial and error. “It’s a very iterative process,” Peterson said. “You try something, figure out what went wrong and improve.”

For many students—especially those considering careers in STEM—this early exposure to research can be transformative. According to Benard, the CURE model can help students build skills more quickly and prepares them to join independent research labs.

Since their introduction in 2020, CURE courses in biology at CWRU have expanded from a single section to multiple offerings each year, with students now able to choose from several research areas. As faculty members continue to develop new courses—including one in chemistry coming in the 2026-27 academic year—that range is expected to grow.

For students, that variety offers both flexibility and ownership—an opportunity to pursue research aligned with their interests while gaining hands-on experience early on.

And for faculty members, the impact is clear.

“To see the enthusiasm, the excitement—and to hear students say they feel more confident and ready to go into labs,” Benard said, “That’s one of the big rewards for us.”