Florence Schmieg, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Schmieg
Phone: (302) 831-3533
Fax: (302) 831-2281
Email: fschmieg@udel.edu
Office: 242 Wolf Hall
Address:
Department of Biological Sciences
Wolf Hall
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716
Education
- B.S., Ph.D. - University of Delaware
- Postdoctoral - Wistar Institute of the University of Pennsylvania
Teaching
- BISC 100 - Fresman Seminar
- BISC 207 - Introductory Biology, semester one: This is the first semester of the survey course in Introductory Biology for Biology majors and other science-oriented majors that require some facility with the Biological Sciences. It consists of both traditional lectures and problem-based-learning. A "hands-on" laboratory is also part of the course.
- BISC 401 - Molecular Biology of the Cell. This is the core course for majors in the Biological Sciences.
- BISC 401 Honors - Molecular Biology of the Cell. The content material of this course is similar to the non-Honors course.
- BISC 411 - Experimental Molecular Biology of the Cell. This is a 2 hour inquiry-based laboratory course designed both to introduce modern techniques in Molecular Biology and to foster critical thinking and analysis in the design and evaluation of experiments in the field.
- I am currently the chair of the Health Sciences Advisement and Evaluation Committee of the University of Delaware. As such, I serve as the faculty advisor for students with an interest in pursuing careers in medicine. Students are encouraged to read the information currently online for advice in planning their undergraduate programs and for a description of the University's evaluation process.
Research Interests
In 1998 I switched the focus of my research from basic laboratory research to research in Science Education. My emphasis is on evaluating group-interactive approaches in undergraduate classrooms. Specifically, I am studying the effect of Problem-Based-Learning strategies on educational outcomes and student attitudes in two courses, Molecular Biology of the Cell and Introductory Biology. The studies thus far have evaluated student progress on learning objectives as self-reported in end-of-term evaluations and have measured correlations of the same to parameters such as the student's previous experience with Problem-Based-Learning and the level of the class (upper class or Freshman).
The next step this research will take is the evaluation of student learning and critical thinking skills in these courses to determine if these pedagogical approaches improve retention and the ability of students to apply learning to novel situations and to make connections.
A second interest is in the design of novel, inquiry-based laboratory investigations in Molecular Biology. These laboratories would progress gradually toward student-generated projects. These laboratory investigations will contain both wet-lab activities as well as computer data base analysis. I plan to evaluate the outcome of these approaches in the laboratory on student learning and attitudes towards science as I currently do for the classroom activities described above.
A third interest is in premedical education. I chair the Health Science Advisement and Evaluation Committee at the University. As such, I have developed an interest in examining the curricular and extracurricular experiences that lead to the formation of caring, successful physicians to help fulfill the needs of the country in the decades ahead.
My previous laboratory research interest was in the mechanisms by which mammalian cells control their growth. Specifically, I studied the structure-function relationships of the tumor-suppressor protein p53. This important cellular protein is involved in regulating cell-cycle events that protect cells with damaged DNA from replicating and accumulating mutations. It is also involved in triggering a cellular response called apoptosis (programmed cell death) that causes damaged cells to commit a form of suicide, thus protecting the organism in which these cells reside. Cells allowed to divide with DNA damage can ultimately become malignant cells.
Selected Publications
- Schmieg F. Mad Cows and Englishmen. Problem-Based Learning Clearinghouse. 2002.
- Donham R, Schmieg F, Allen D. The large and the small of it: A case study of introductory biology courses. In: Duch BJ, Groh SE, Allen DE, eds. The Power of Problem-Based Learning: A Practical 'How To' for Teaching Undergraduate Courses in Any Discipline. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing; 2001.
- Schmieg F. Problem-based Learning Groups in Large Classes: What I Have Learned the Hard Way. Spring ed. American Society for Microbiology; 2000. Teaching Microbiology Newsletter.
- Schmieg F, Cataldi E, Dries D. PBL Approaches in Honors Molecular Biology of the Cell. 54, Spring ed. University of Delaware: Center for Teaching Effectiveness; 2000.
- Huang J, Logsdon N, Schmieg FI, Simmons DT. p53-mediated transcription induces resistance of DNA to UV inactivation. Oncogene. 1998;17(4):401–411.
- Zhao J, Schmieg FI, Logsdon N, Freedman D, Simmons DT, Molloy GR. p53 binds to a novel recognition sequence in the proximal promoter of the rat muscle creatine kinase gene and activates its transcription. Oncogene. 1996;13(2):293–302.
- Zhao J, Schmieg FI, Simmons DT, Molloy GR. Mouse p53 represses the rat brain creatine kinase gene but activates the rat muscle creatine kinase gene. Mol Cell Biol. 1994;14(12):8483–8492.
- Schmieg FI, Simmons DT. p53 mutants with changes in conserved region II: three classes with differing antibody reactivity, SV40 T antigen binding and ability to inhibit transformation of rat cells. Oncogene. 1993;8(8):2043–2050.
- Schmieg FI, Simmons DT. Characterization of the in vitro interaction between SV40 T antigen and p53: mapping the p53 binding site. Virology. 1988;164(1):132–140.
- Schmieg FI, Simmons DT. Intracellular location and kinetics of complex formation between simian virus 40 T antigen and cellular protein p53. J Virol. 1984;52(2):350–355.
