Labster
BIOLOGY PRINCIPLES
Simulations
Labster is a world-leading provider of
virtual lab simulations for higher education
and high schools.
The simulations are designed to let
students learn by doing in a virtual
laboratory, solving real-case problems. Quiz
questions test the students’ knowledge,
supporting an inquiry-based and deep-
learning approach. The students will train
real lab skills in a safe virtual environment
where they can safely make mistakes, and
learn at their own pace.
The most basic simulations are ideal as
a self-study activity since the students
will review essential concepts. The more
advanced simulations are designed to
support the course syllabus, reinforcing
concepts and giving the
students an innovative tool
to deepen their learning.
Biology Principles Simulations
Ideal for introductory and high school level courses.
Core simulations: • Introductory Lab
• Cell Division: Mitosis and Meiosis • Microscopy
• Mendelian Inheritance • Pigment Extraction
• Evolution • Electron Transport Chain
• Evolution: Theory and founding principles • Fermentation (Principles)
• Marine Biology • Mitosis
• Biomes • Signal Transduction (Only WebGL)
• Lab Safety • Meiosis
• Carbohydrates • Animal Genetics
• Cellular Respiration (Principles): Measure energy • Gene Expression Unit
consumption during exercise • Protein Synthesis
• Competition: Learn to identify and quantify
Related simulations: competition between species
• Experimental Design • Spatial Ecology
• Pipetting • Eutrophication
• Introduction to Food Macromolecule • Trophic Levels
• Antibodies • Plant Reproduction
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (Principles) • Embryology
• Cell Structure • Bacterial Isolation
• Membrane transport
Ready to learn more?
Bring the world of science into the classroom and enable students to bring learning
home with Labster’s virtual science lab content. No need for additional hardware or lab
equipment; access these labs on Chromebooks or any other laptops, and spark creativity in
students with this innovative and interactive way to explore science.
It’s a million-dollar lab, one click away.
To learn more about how you can incorporate Labster virtual labs
in your teaching, visit us at www.labster.com.
Learning objectives covered in Labster’s
Biology Principles simulations
Core Simulations • Deal with common misconceptions about the
theory of evolution
Cell Division: Mitosis and Meiosis Evolution: Theory and founding
• Describe the role cell division plays in growth, principles
tissue repair, and reproduction
• Critically determine how evolutionary processes
• Describe the principle of cell cycle regulation and have contributed to contemporary life
control
• Describe how the theory of evolution was derived
• Distinguish between the different stages of the
cell cycle: interphase (G1, S and G2) and mitosis/ • Explain the concepts of natural selection, genetic
meiosis drift and mutation
• Model how meiosis ensures genetic diversity • Apply the Hardy-Weinberg principle to
demonstrate genetic variance in evolution
• Summarize the main events that occur in the
Most Popular
sequential phases of mitosis and meiosis • Explain the evolutionary relationships linking and
separating the major kingdoms of Life
• Categorize outcomes of meiosis and mitosis
• Predict the physiological and anatomical features
of organisms within a kingdom and group
Mendelian Inheritance POPULAR
• Explain why viruses are not part of any kingdom
• Explain how traits are passed on from parents to
their offspring and what causes variation between
siblings Marine Biology POPULAR
• Describe Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance in color • Understand basic concepts of sample collection
deficiency • Perform fish necropsy and learn the information
• Compare and predict the phenotypes of offspring you can get from this kind of approach
with given genotypes using Punnett squares • Understand the concepts of trophic levels, trophic
• Analyze dominant and recessive alleles, and how pyramids and the energy flow in an ecosystem
they play a part in an individual’s biological make- • Understand the difference between heterotroph
up and autotroph organisms
• TECHNIQUE(S): Pedigree trees, Punett squares, • Analyze the level of dissolved oxygen level in
Breeding mice your water sample using a
spectrophotometer
Evolution POPULAR • Understand the concepts
of calibration curve, linear
• Understand how populations evolve by adapting to
regression and Relatedpolation
their environment
• TECHNIQUE(S): Sampling,
• Understand the basic mechanisms of evolution
Spectrophotometry, Fish
• Understand evolution as the foundation of biology necropsy/dissection
and show evidence for it
• Use DNA sequencing and phylogenetic trees to
identify an unknown creature
Concept-focused Technique-focused
Biomes Related Simulations
• Define and relate biomes, ecosystems and habitat
• Explain the basic concept of biodiversity Experimental Design POPULAR
• Differentiate between the different biomes • Explain and apply the scientific method
• Relate climate and geology to the structure and • Design an experiment and test a hypothesis
biogeography of biomes and ecosystems • Correctly use experimental controls
• TECHNIQUE(S): Apoptosis assay
Lab Safety POPULAR
• Use the correct clothing to work in the lab Pipetting POPULAR
• Describe the do’s and don’ts in a laboratory • Select the correct micropipette for its purpose
• Correctly use the lab safety equipment • Use the two stops of the pipette
• React in an emergency situation • Explain pipetting techniques
• TECHNIQUE(S): Lab Safety • Perform a serial dilution
• Quantify the protein content in a sample with a
Carbohydrates POPULAR
Bradford assay
• Understand the molecular structure of sugars and • TECHNIQUE(S): Pipetting, Serial dilution,
polysaccharides Bradford assay
• Understand digestion and appreciate the
complexity of the human body Introduction to Food
• Experiment with different foods and measure their Macromolecule POPULAR
impact on the blood sugar level
• Understand the types of macromolecules found in
• TECHNIQUE(S): Reading scientific paper, food
Analyzing blood sugar measurements
• Understand the structure of carbohydrates,
proteins, and lipids
Cellular Respiration (Principles): • Detect macromolecules in food samples
Measure energy consumption during • TECHNIQUE(S): Benedict test, Iodine test, Sudan
exercise test, Biuret test
• Analyze blood glucose and lactic acid
concentrations of athletes before and after Antibodies POPULAR
exercise
• Understand the structure and function of
• Outline the relationship between the cell, antibodies (different isotypes
mitochondria and cellular respiration and parts of an antibody)
• Compare aerobic and anaerobic cellular • Understand the formation of the
respiration antibody-antigen complex
• Understand the role of glycolysis, the Krebs cycle • Name the four major blood types
and the electron transport chain in generating ATP (phenotypes) in the ABO system
• Experiment on oxygen consumption in mice at • Explain the principles of blood
various exercise intensities typing using Eldon cards
• TECHNIQUE(S): Respirometry, Measure • Describe rhesus
and analyze blood glucose and lactic acid incompatibility and
concentrations hemolytic disease
Concept-focused Technique-focused
• TECHNIQUE(S): Blood Typing molecules
• Relate the expression of specific transport
Polymerase Chain Reaction proteins to the cell’s role
(Principles) POPULAR • Identify the 3 modes of active transport
• Explain the function of DNA polymerase in DNA • Detail the mechanism of different classes of ion
replication and synthesis channel
• Perform a PCR experiment using DNA from a • Compare domain and kingdom specific transport
blood sample as the template proteins
• Carry out a gel electrophoresis that separates
DNA according to its size Introductory Lab POPULAR
• Interpret the unique signature of the human • Understand the basics of safety in the laboratory
genome and the use of tandem repeated regions • Calculate pH of strong acids, weak acids, strong
(TRR) in DNA profiling bases and weak bases
• TECHNIQUE(S): Polymerase Chain Reaction • Understand how acid dissociates in water
(PCR), Gel electrophoresis, DNA profiling
• Understand the principle of diffusion and osmosis
Cell Structure • Understand the different blood type groups and
how to perform blood type test
• Explain how cells are the fundamental units of life
• TECHNIQUE(S): Blood typing, pH determination,
• Discriminate between unicellular and multicellular Light microscopy
organisms
• Describe the role and organisation of cells in
Microscopy POPULAR
complex organisms
• Understand different microscopy techniques and
• Summarize the cellular life cycle Identify and
their limitations
summarize the function of the major animal cell
organelles • Identify various cell types and cellular structures
• Compare specialized organelles of differentiated • Understand coeliac disease and intestinal
animal cells inflammation
• Name examples of prokaryotic and eukaryotic • Understand staining techniques
organisms • TECHNIQUE(S): Light microscopy: using
• Identify differences and similarities between immersion oil and working with different objectives,
prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and animal and Fluorescent microscopy
plant cells
• Examine how animal and plant cells are adapted Pigment Extraction POPULAR
for different functions • Understand the importance and
uses of photosynthesis
Membrane transport • Understand properties of light
• Describe the plasma membrane structure using and why pigments are colorful
the fluid mosaic model • Analyze the absorbance spectra
• Recognize the relative permeability of lipid bilayers and chemical properties of
to different classes of molecules pigments
• Explain that water needs a specialized structure • Develop a hypothesis and
(aquaporins) to go through the membrane set up an experiment to
test it
• Compare active and passive transport of
Concept-focused Technique-focused
• TECHNIQUE(S): Centrifugation, Pigment their main characteristics
Relatedction, Spectrophotometry • Explain the cell cycle checkpoints and name the
molecules that control them (cyclins and cyclin-
Electron Transport Chain dependent kinases) and their function
• Understand the importance and uses of • Describe the main differences between mitosis
photosynthesis and meiosis
• Understand the photolysis of water and electron • TECHNIQUE(S): Microscopy
transport
• Understand properties of light and why pigments Signal Transduction (Only WebGL)
are colorful • Explain the principles and importance of
• Develop a hypothesis and set up an experiment to intracellular signal transduction
test it • Explain receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) cell
• Understand how to measure the redox potential of signaling
the electron transport chain • Analyze dysregulated signal transduction in human
• TECHNIQUE(S): Centrifugation, Hill reaction, cancer cells
Spectrophotometry • Understand the connection between angiogenesis
and tumor growth
Fermentation (Principles) POPULAR
• Investigate the involvement of vascular endothelial
• Understand cell growth, goals of fermentation and growth factor receptor (VEGFR) signaling in human
application to the real-world breast cancer
• Understand the function and various parts of the • TECHNIQUE(S): Western blotting, Cell culture,
bioreactor and auxiliary equipment Inhibitor treatment, Histology
• Understand microbial growth kinetics with
examples of batch and chemostat fermentations Meiosis POPULAR
• Understand how parameters such as pH, • Understand assisted reproduction technology
temperature, aeration, and agitation affects • Understand the basic principle of meiosis
fermentation
• Use the microscope to observe the phases of
• Perform virtual fermentations to identify optimal meiosis and understand their main characteristics
process conditions
• Understand the main differences between mitosis
• TECHNIQUE(S): Yeast inoculation, Sterile and meiosis
microbiology technique, Graphing
• TECHNIQUE(S): Microscopy
• Microbe identification, Fermentation
Animal Genetics POPULAR
Mitosis POPULAR
• Explain different hereditary traits
• Understand and visualize basic concepts about and modes of inheritance
eukaryotic cells such as main cellular components
and DNA packaging by immersive animations • Construct a pedigree analysis
based on observed phenotypes
• Understand the key characteristics of the cell
cycle’s different stages: interphase (G1, S and G2) • Perform genome scanning to
and mitosis identify candidate genes for
double muscling in cattle
• Use different microscopy techniques to observe
the different phases of the mitosis (Prophase, • Develop a DNA test for
Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase) and describe double muscling in cattle
Concept-focused Technique-focused
• TECHNIQUE(S): PCR, Gel electrophoresis, • TECHNIQUE(S): Shannon diversity index, Map
Pedigree/ linkage analysis layers analysis
Gene Expression Unit Eutrophication POPULAR
• Prepare samples for Next Generation Sequencing • Understand the nitrogen cycle and its importance
• Understand the principles behind the Next for living beings
Generation Sequencing technique • Understand the concept of eutrophication and
• Perform a qPCR experiment with the proper harmful algal bloom, and the impact that it has on
controls the ecosystem
• TECHNIQUE(S): cDNA synthesis, Sample for • Analyze dissolved nitrogen levels in the water
Preparation for Next Generation sequencing, Next sample
Generation Sequencing data analysis, qPCR • Understand the importance of sampling from
different locations to get representative data
Protein Synthesis POPULAR • TECHNIQUE(S): Sampling, Spectrophotometry,
Fish necropsy/dissection
• Understand the translation process from mRNA to
amino acid
• Understand the post-translational modification Trophic Levels
• Understand the protein synthesis processing in the • Define trophic levels, food webs and ecological
ribosome pyramids
• Understand the primary, secondary, tertiary and • Elaborate on definitions of autotrophic,
quaternary structures of protein heterotrophic and mixotrophic organisms.
• Understand the basic principles of mass • Differentiate between food chains and food webs
spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) • Explain how energy flows between different trophic
• TECHNIQUE(S): Mass spectrometry, Protein levels and how this impacts ecosystem structure
synthesis • Predict how pests and parasites fit into trophic
systems
Competition: Learn to identify
and quantify competition between Plant Reproduction
species • Identify components of angiosperm reproductive
system and the process of seed generation
• Identify competition between species and quantify
the strength of competition between two species • Identify components of the gymnosperms
reproductive system and the process of cone
• Establish evidence of competition in an agricultural
generation
environment
• Broadly compare the
• TECHNIQUE(S): de Wit replacement series
reproductive mechanisms of the
other phyla to angiosperms and
Spatial Ecology gymnosperms
• Map the distribution of species over a region and
identify hotspots for biodiversity.
• Relate patterns of biodiversity to abiotic or
anthropogenic conditions.
• Describe and explain gradients in abiotic factors in
an area.
Concept-focused Technique-focused
Embryology
• Understand the advantages and disadvantages of
the mouse and chicken models
• Understand the different developmental stages
and compare them between organisms
• Understand the molecular pathway responsible for
forming forelimbs or hindlimbs
• TECHNIQUE(S): Chicken egg windowing
Bacterial Isolation
• Understand the importance of bacterial growth for
the investigation of pathological microorganisms
• Work under aseptic techniques
• Understand the concept of a single colony
• Perform plate-streaking techniques
• Use selective media for isolation purposes
• TECHNIQUE(S): Colony screening, Sterile
technique, Plate streaking
Concept-focused Technique-focused
