This case study uses a PowerPoint (~1MB) combined with role-playing to present the epidemiology and pathophysiology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Students learn about the etiology and pathophysiology of the disease, and then argue different health professionals' perspectives on a plan of action for dealing with its consequences. Developed for a pathophysiology course for undergraduates, the case could also be used in a microbiology course or in a course in public or international health.

This case study is based on another case in our collection, The 2000-Meter Row: A Case in Homeostasis, which emphasizes the metabolic, respiratory, and cardiac responses of a young athlete competing in a championship rowing event. In this modified version, the same event is viewed in a new light to explore the psychological ramifications of the stressful sports competition. The case was developed for a mixed undergraduate-graduate course in sport psychology.

The physically demanding sport of competitive rowing is the backdrop for this case about homeostasis in which students follow the physiological changes that occur in an athlete competing in a 2000-meter race. The case was developed for use in a second-year anatomy and physiology course. It would also be appropriate in exercise and sports science classes.

As the carbon dioxide concentration of our atmosphere increases and our climate warms, the hay fever season seems to be getting longer and more severe. In this case study, students assume the a role of a public relations specialist contracted to communicate the link between climate change and pollen allergies. The activity focuses on the importance of scientific skills to careers outside science, and is most suitable for a lower-level introductory biology, human health, or environmental science course.

Renowned virologist and member of the prestigious National Academy of Science, Peter Duesberg has argued that AIDS is not caused by HIV, but is the result of recreational and anti-HIV drugs. In this PBL case, students read Duesberg's 1999 article in Science magazine titled "HIV is Not the Cause of AIDS" as well as a response to it titled "HIV Causes AIDS" by medical researchers Dr. William A. Blattner and colleagues. Students work in groups to identify the issues as well as any terms or concepts they don't understand, then research these out of class to pool their information as they learn about AIDS and HIV.

This case introduces students to HIV, its life cycle, treatment, and problems associated with treatment options. The case, which incorporates critical thinking skills, active learning, self-directed study, and peer-to-peer learning, was developed for use in an undergraduate upper-level biology course entitled "The Molecular Basis of Disease." It could also be used in an immunology class, a molecular evolution class, or a general biology class to introduce viruses.

This case was developed for use in the first semester of a sophomore organic chemistry laboratory to illustrate how a combination of techniques is usually required in the identification of chemical compounds. It involves a murder mystery with a forensic twist. Students are told that two bodies have recently been recovered from two different lakes. Due to a mix-up at the morgue, the coroner's office is unable to determine which body came from which lake. The students' task is to develop a methodology to solve this mystery as well as determine whether the deaths were the result of murder or mishap. The case could also be used in instrumental analysis courses or adapted for a non-majors course in the general education curriculum.

In this "clicker case," a three-year-old girl gets into the medicine cabinet and ingests an unknown number of aspirin tablets. Her brother calls 911 and the girl is taken to a nearby hospital, where she is treated. The case is used to discuss the Law of Mass Action, chemical equilibrium and equilibrium constants, pH, and weak acids and buffers in the context of medical management of a life-threatening emergency. It is called a "clicker" case because it is designed to be presented in a class that uses personal response systems, or "clickers." The case is presented via a series of PowerPoint slides (~400KB) punctuated by multiple-choice questions, which the students answer using their clickers. It could be adapted for use without these technologies. The case is suitable for use in an introductory biology course where integration with biologically relevant chemistry is an important course objective. It could also be used in a chemistry course.

Playfully alluding to Lewis Carroll's tale of Alice Through the Looking Glass, this case study considers the problems that would arise if a person were to cross over into a mirror-image environment. Students read about a drowsy undergraduate studying for a stereochemistry exam who finds herself in a place where spearmint gum tastes like caraway seed. The case emphasizes the lock-and-key theory of enzyme action and stresses the need for molecules to have the proper chirality if they are to be biologically useful. Designed for introductory organic chemistry and biochemistry courses, the case could also be used in biology courses.

This "clicker case" follows Susan, an intern at a local hospital, who has admitted a patient she discovers has used the drug Ecstasy. The girl becomes delirious, and Susan begins to suspect that she may be suffering from water intoxication. The case is designed for an introductory biology course for either science or non-science majors, though it could be adapted for upper level courses. It uses an example of water intoxication to introduce membrane structure and function, osmosis, and electrolyte balance in the body. The case itself is a PowerPoint presentation (~800KB) shown in class that is punctuated by multiple-choice questions students answer using clickers. It could be adapted for use without these technologies.

In this decision case, a congressional staffer must weigh a number of competing concerns and issues, including popular reactions to genetically modified organisms, in deciding how to present information to her boss, an influential congressman drafting legislation to support agricultural research. The case explores the social and biological issues surrounding micronutrient malnutrition, including deficiencies of several vitamins and essential minerals, especially iron, iodine, and vitamin A, which affect at least one-third of the world's population, primarily in developing nations. Developed for a graduate-level seminar on "Genomics, Agriculture, Food Systems and Development," the case teaches about the issues surrounding genomic applications in agriculture and their implications to health, environmental stewardship, economic sustainability, and national development.

When chronic pain forces a top student to withdraw from college, biology instructor Dr. Sharpe learns that medications (in this case, Vioxx) may be removed from the market for many reasons, including safety concerns. As the case unfolds, students learn how the FDA balances drug safety against medical needs. As written, the case is appropriate for a non-majors biology course. It could also be adapted for use in a more advanced course in cell biology, pharmacology, or biochemistry, or modified to explore statistical analysis, specific analytical methods used for risk/benefit analysis, or bioethical issues.

This problem-based case focuses on the female menstrual cycle and early stages of pregnancy of an unwed teenager. Working in small groups, students identify the learning issues for each part of the story and research answers to their questions. They are then given more of the case to evaluate. The cycle of analysis, information seeking, and sharing is repeated for each stage of the case. The case can be used in numerous settings including general health, biology, and sociology classes or in more specialized courses such as physiology, endocrinology, nursing, medicine, human development, social services, or counseling.

Intelligent Design continues to be a hot political and educational topic in some parts of the country. This discussion case study uses the dramatic setting of a public school board as it considers whether district science teachers should be made to read a statement to their classes identifying Intelligent Design as a competing theory to evolution that is worthy of scientific consideration. The relevant statement is in fact the one that was at the center of the 2004 controversy in Dover, Pennsylvania. This case would be appropriate in general biology or advanced courses where the focus is on evolution.

In chronicling the life and death of a woman who developed diabetes as a teenager, this case study explores such basic science topics as metabolism, hormones, cell receptors, eye anatomy, and immunology as well as issues in nutrition, exercise, stem cell research, transplantation, drug delivery systems, genetic engineering, and health care. The case has been used in a physiology course as part of a unit on metabolism and hormonal control.

This case is a "clicker" adaptation of a similarly titled case by Merle Heidemann and Gerald Urquhart of Michigan State University, "A Can of Bull?" The story introduces students to basic principles of metabolism and energy through a biochemical analysis of commonly available "energy drinks" that many students purchase at relatively high prices. Students learn to define energy in a biological/nutritional context, identify valid biochemical sources of energy, discuss how foods are metabolized to generate ATP, and critically evaluate marketing claims for various energy drinks. The case can be used in introductory level courses to introduce these principles or as a review of basic biochemistry and nutrition for upper-level students in nutrition, physiology, or biochemistry courses. The case is presented in class using a PowerPoint (~2.3MB) that is punctuated by multiple-choice questions students answer using personal response systems, or "clickers."

This case study presents a fictitious bio-terrorist plan to release anthrax in the United States. Students are assigned character roles and, through research, role-playing, and teamwork, develop a plan to minimize or avert the attack. The case is appropriate for courses designed for health professionals, general biology courses, and social science courses.

The discovery of the platypus had the scientific world in an uproar and kept it tantalized for decades. Here was the strangest animal ever seen. How was one to classify it? It had fur. So, was it a mammal? But then what to make of its duck-like bill? And how did it produce and suckle its young? Based on the book by Ann Moyal titled Platypus: The Extraordinary Story of How a Curious Creature Baffled the World, the case focuses on classification and evolution and models the scientific process, with scientists arguing, debating, collecting more information, and revising their opinions as more data become available.

After undergoing a fertility procedure, a 37-year-old woman and her husband are expecting twins. The delivery goes smoothly, but it soon becomes apparent that, while the baby boy appears normal, the baby girl has a heart problem and is cyanotic. In this interrupted case study, students diagnose the problem based on the babies' signs and symptoms as well as on their knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the heart and the changes that occur in the heart after birth. The case was developed for use in a one-semester animal physiology course taken by sophomore and junior science majors. It could also be used in a freshman general biology course or in an anatomy and physiology course.