New Pathways for Cultivating Innovative Preventive Medicine Talent
In the laboratory, one group of students is independently designing a complete set of toxicity testing protocols for a chemical, from acute toxicity to reproductive toxicity, while another group is engaged in heated discussions about the mechanism of action of an industrial toxicant in a case study—this is not a graduate research setting but rather the new normal in today's toxicology experimental classroom.
Previously, toxicology laboratory courses often followed a "follow-the-recipe" approach: teachers prepared experimental equipment and procedures, and students followed step-by-step instructions with predetermined outcomes. While this model cultivated basic experimental skills in students, it struggled to stimulate innovative thinking and independent problem-solving abilities.
In recent years, an increasing number of medical colleges have initiated reforms in toxicology experimental teaching, implementing comprehensive innovations in teaching content, methods, and evaluation systems, aiming to cultivate innovative preventive medicine talent suited to the needs of the new era.
Traditional verification-based experiments are being replaced by inquiry-driven approaches that foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for modern preventive medicine.
Traditional toxicology experimental teaching typically relied on verification-based experiments, making it difficult to mobilize student initiative and creativity. This situation is now changing.
Combined with traditional teaching, this approach has become an effective way to enhance student learning ability and innovation capability.
A comparative teaching study involving two cohorts of preventive medicine undergraduates showed that the experimental group using traditional teaching + case analysis scored significantly higher in multiple aspects including classroom performance, knowledge points in assignments, and innovation points in assignments compared to the control group. 1
This model has demonstrated encouraging results in developing comprehensive student capabilities.
A study at Third Military Medical University divided 90 students into three groups using traditional teaching, PBL teaching, and Seminar combined with PBL teaching respectively. 7
The Seminar combined with PBL group showed significantly higher theoretical and practical exam scores, higher teaching satisfaction, and significantly improved abilities including self-directed learning, independent thinking, communication, analysis and problem-solving, and teamwork. 7
This important reform changes the previous approach where teachers prepared everything.
Some institutions have students work in groups to select a compound from several options provided by the teacher and independently design experimental protocols. 6
Oral LD50 acute toxicity tests, micronucleus tests, mouse sperm abnormality tests, and other experimental designs are integrated into a single protocol, using one batch of animals and one toxicant to complete all experimental teaching content in toxicology. 6
More importantly, students in the experimental group showed improvements not only in knowledge acquisition but also in learning initiative, interest, participation awareness, and analytical problem-solving abilities. 1
The reform of toxicology experimental teaching encompasses not only methods but also innovation and integration of content. Facing the challenges of toxicology's broad knowledge scope, difficulty in understanding, and memorization, institutions have systematically restructured experimental content.
Many institutions have significantly reduced verification experiments, focusing instead on comprehensive design projects. 6
Experimental projects are divided into four categories: "Basic Skills in Toxicological Animal Testing," "Acute Toxicity Testing," "Mutagenicity Testing," and "Reproductive Toxicity Testing." 6
After theoretical classes, teachers assign tasks, students form groups to consult literature, discuss, and independently design protocols, which are then modified after teacher feedback before students autonomously complete them. 6
Another approach to enhancing student innovation capability is integrating research frontiers with experimental teaching.
By organizing students to participate in research interest groups, apply for university innovative research projects, and engage in faculty research projects, students' scientific research innovation capabilities are cultivated. 6
Some institutions also encourage and support capable students to conduct molecular toxicology experiments, mastering the latest toxicological techniques. 6
The introduction of modern technology tools has also made toxicology experimental teaching more aligned with actual research. Cell-based toxicity assessment methods are changing traditional toxicity testing paradigms. 2
Using cell lines or primary cells, or even more complex iPSC stem cells, assays are conducted in traditional cell culture formats. Cells are exposed to chemicals, and methods such as MTT assay, CellTiter-Glo luminescent assay are used to assess cell health and death. 2
3D organoids are particularly useful due to their higher complexity and greater similarity to human tissue structure and function. 2
| Assay Method Type | Technical Features | Application Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cell-based Toxicity Assays | Uses cell lines or primary cells | Rapid, high-throughput screening capable | Cannot fully simulate in vivo environment |
| Cell Viability and Morphology Assays | Assessment via imaging methods | Intuitive, quantitative analysis possible | Requires specialized equipment |
| Functional Assays (E-Phys, Ca²⁺ imaging) | Detects cellular functional changes | Can assess functional toxicity | High technical threshold |
| Animal Experiments | Uses mice and rats | Whole animal response | Slow progress, significant differences from humans |
The reform of toxicology experimental teaching focuses not only on the teaching process and content but also on comprehensive innovation of the evaluation system. Traditional single final exam scores can no longer reflect students' comprehensive abilities, and multiple evaluation systems are being promoted and applied in various institutions.
A reform study showed that institutions incorporated experiments and regular performance into overall grade assessment, accounting for 30% of the total grade. 6
Assessment of experiments and regular performance includes experimental reports, student performance during experimental teaching, participation in protocol discussions, experimental preparation, practical and research activities, etc. 6
The multiple evaluation system not only focuses on students' experimental results but also emphasizes their performance throughout the entire experimental process. 4
This includes experimental skills, comprehensive qualities, and innovation capabilities, effectively promoting students' comprehensive development. 4
| Assessment Item | Control Group (Avg Score) | Experimental Group (Avg Score) | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classroom Performance | 78.5 | 87.2 | < 0.05 |
| Assignment Knowledge Points | 80.2 | 88.6 | < 0.05 |
| Assignment Innovation Points | 75.8 | 86.9 | < 0.05 |
| Stage Test Scores | 77.9 | 85.3 | < 0.05 |
| Total Experimental Course Score | 78.1 | 86.8 | < 0.05 |
Modern toxicology research relies on a series of sophisticated experimental tools and techniques. Understanding these tools is essential for comprehending toxicology experimental teaching.
| Tool Type | Representative Products | Main Applications | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genetic Toxicology Detection Reagents | Moltox S9 Enzymes | Genotoxicity Detection | Provides metabolic activation system |
| Special Strains | Salmonella TA Series | Ames Test | Detects mutagenic effects |
| Detection Kits | Rapid ELISA Kits | Protein Marker Detection | 90-minute completion |
| Analytical Equipment | LC-MS/MS | Toxicant Identification & Quantification | High sensitivity, accuracy |
Moltox and other companies specialize in providing genetic toxicology detection reagents and related products, including S9 enzyme series, test kits, reagent strains, and media. 9
S9 is derived from mammalian (rat) liver P-450 enzyme groups, typically applied in oxidation-reduction systems containing cofactor NADPH. Through the metabolism of these P-450 enzymes in S9, some substances with potential carcinogenic activity can be activated. 9
Special genotypes (histidine-deficient) Salmonella are typically used in bacterial reverse mutation tests (Ames test), such as Strain TA97a, TA98, TA100, TA102, and TA1535. 9
ELISA kits now come in various types, including coated ELISA kits, rapid ELISA kits, Instant ELISA kits, etc., meeting different experimental needs. 3
Rapid ELISA kits shorten the entire process to 90 minutes with only one washing step, greatly improving experimental efficiency. 3
The reform of toxicology experimental teaching will not stop. With the continuous development of educational concepts and technologies, future toxicology experimental teaching will present more possibilities.
This technology is being integrated into "Health Toxicology" experimental teaching. It can simulate complex experimental environments and processes, allowing students to practice repeatedly without risk, which is particularly significant for some time-consuming and costly experimental content. 4
This will become the new norm. Integrating various online and offline teaching resources and innovating teaching models and methods are important ways to improve teaching effectiveness. 4
This model breaks time and space constraints, providing students with more flexible learning methods.
Integrating ideological elements into the entire teaching process cultivates students' professional ethics and social responsibility, enabling them to better shoulder the mission of protecting public health in their future work. 4
As toxicology experimental teaching reforms deepen, personalized learning will become possible. By creating a multi-level integrated experimental teaching model, content previously mastered in single experiments is maintained while connecting the course's experimental teaching content in a coherent thread, stimulating student interest and creating an atmosphere of active participation. 6
This reform is significant for cultivating innovative preventive medicine talent suited to the needs of the times.
From content integration to teaching model innovation, from evaluation system enhancement to frontier technology integration, the comprehensive reform of toxicology experimental teaching is injecting new vitality into the cultivation of preventive medicine talent.
These changes not only improve students' experimental skills and exam scores but, more importantly, cultivate their comprehensive qualities and innovation capabilities, laying a solid foundation for their future careers.
Through these reforms, we hope to cultivate more preventive medicine talent with innovative thinking and practical abilities, better equipped to address increasingly complex public health challenges.