BioSTEM: A modern educational tool for research and innovation in the field of molecular biology and personalized medicine

TL;DR

BioSTEM is an educational initiative that improves understanding of genetics and personalized medicine through interactive learning for students and educators.

Contribution

BioSTEM introduces a scalable educational tool combining online modules, games, and hands-on experiments to enhance genomics education.

Findings

BioSTEM significantly improved students' and educators' understanding of genetics and personalized medicine.

Participants supported integrating BioSTEM into standard biology curricula.

Over 6,000 students across three countries have engaged with BioSTEM since 2016.

Abstract

Personalized Medicine has the potential to transform modern healthcare by tailoring medical decisions to an individual’s unique genomic profile. However, its integration into routine clinical practice is hindered by limited genomics education among healthcare professionals and a general lack of public awareness. To address these challenges, we introduce the BioSTEM initiative, an innovative educational tool designed for primary, elementary, and high school students. BioSTEM combines optimized online learning modules with interactive audiovisual content, fostering direct communication between students and educators. It also integrates alternative learning strategies, such as online games and comics, to enhance engagement with topics in Biology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Personalized Medicine. Since 2016, BioSTEM has reached over 6,000 students across three countries through a combination of theoretical instruction and hands-on experiments using a portable molecular biology laboratory. Our results indicate that participation in BioSTEM significantly improved students’ and educators’ perception of their understanding of concepts in Genetics and Personalized Medicine. Participants reported a stronger grasp of genomic concepts and expressed support for incorporating BioSTEM into the standard biology curriculum. These findings suggest that BioSTEM is a promising and scalable approach to advancing biomedical education and fostering the development of genomic-literate citizens.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40246-025-00786-x.

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