Teaching

2025 to date

Biology - Pre-Medical for perspective student in Medicine and surgery

30 hours, 6 ECTS, 250 students/year

2021 to date

Synthetic Biology - MS in Medical Biotechnologies (curriculum B: Systems Biomedicine, and from 2023 curriculum C:  Cell Therapy, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine)

30 hours, 5 ECTS, 12 students/year (curr. B), 36 hours, 5 ECTS, 40 students/year (curr. C) 

2019 to date

Biology – BSc in Nursing

26 hours, 2 ECTS, ca. 350 students/year

2015 to date

Cell Biology - BSc in Biotechnology

40 hours, 5 ECTS, ca. 600 students/year

2011 to date                       

Applied Biology – BSc in Healthcare Professions (Physiotherapy, Laboratory technician, Dental hygienist, Radiology technician)

20 hours, 2 ECTS, ca. 120 students/year

2006 - 2010

Laboratory of Recombinant DNA Technologies - BSc in Biotechnology

2 weeks of laboratory activity, 2 ECTS, 50 students/year

Teaching First-Year Students: Building Foundations and Scientific Thinking

In large first-year courses for students in biotechnology and healthcare professions, my primary objective is to establish strong conceptual foundations in cell biology while fostering scientific literacy and curiosity. Many of these students encounter molecular and cellular mechanisms for the first time, and they often perceive the subject as abstract or overwhelming. I therefore emphasize conceptual understanding over memorization, guiding students to recognize unifying principles—such as structure–function relationships, regulation, and cellular communication—across diverse biological systems.

To support learning in large classrooms, I employ active and inclusive teaching strategies, such as guided questioning, real-time polling, and problem-based discussions centered on physiological or clinical scenarios relevant to nursing, physiotherapy, and other healthcare professions. By explicitly linking cellular mechanisms to health and disease, I help students appreciate the relevance of cell biology to their future professional practice. I also pay close attention to the diverse academic backgrounds of first-year students, providing clear learning objectives, structured explanations, and formative assessments that allow them to monitor their progress and build confidence.

Beyond content mastery, I aim to cultivate scientific thinking skills: interpreting data, understanding experimental logic, and critically evaluating biological claims. These skills are essential not only for future scientists, but also for healthcare professionals who must navigate rapidly evolving biomedical knowledge.

Teaching at the Master’s Level: From Knowledge to Innovation

In my Master’s-level course in Synthetic Biology for medical biotechnology students, my teaching shifts from foundational knowledge acquisition to integration, critical analysis, and innovation. At this advanced stage, I encourage students to think like scientists and engineers: to design biological systems, evaluate ethical and societal implications, and engage with current research literature.

My approach emphasizes research-informed teaching, using primary scientific papers, case studies, and design-oriented projects that reflect real challenges in synthetic and medical biotechnology. I promote active student participation through discussions, collaborative problem-solving, and project-based learning, where students must justify their design choices and consider limitations, safety, and translational potential. In this context, I view myself less as a transmitter of knowledge and more as a mentor and facilitator, guiding students as they develop independence, creativity, and scientific rigor.

Assessment, Feedback, and Continuous Improvement

Across all levels, I view assessment as a tool for learning rather than merely evaluation. I strive to align assessments with learning objectives, ensuring they test conceptual understanding, application of knowledge, and critical reasoning. Timely and constructive feedback is central to my teaching practice, as it helps students identify strengths, address misconceptions, and refine their learning strategies.

I am also committed to continuous improvement of my teaching. I actively reflect on student feedback, learning outcomes, and my own classroom experiences to refine course design and teaching methods. As the fields of cell biology and synthetic biology evolve rapidly, I continuously update course content to reflect current scientific advances and pedagogical best practices.

Conclusion

Ultimately, my teaching philosophy is driven by a commitment to student learning, scientific integrity, and relevance to real-world biological and medical challenges. Whether teaching large cohorts of first-year students or advanced Master’s students, I aim to inspire curiosity, foster critical thinking, and equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to engage responsibly and creatively with modern life sciences.