The quantum mechanics of skincare: A context for the biochemistry curriculum

Abstract

AbstractDesigning a relevant and engaging curriculum for biochemistry undergraduates can be challenging for topics which are at the periphery of the subject. We have used the framework of context‐based learning as a means of assessing understanding of quantum theory in a group of students in their junior year. Our context, the role of retinol in skincare, provides a basis for the simple application of quantum mechanical principles to a biological context in an adaptation of the polyene in a box concept. As part of the learner journey, they gain experience of practical computational chemistry, which provided an in silico alternative to traditional laboratory work during the SARS‐CoV‐19 pandemic. Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and this approach is now firmly embedded in the undergraduate curriculum.