For experimental investigations:

Collection of labs, from which you could modify procedures to vary an IV of your
choosing:
http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-biology
http://www.preproom.org/practicals/biology.aspx

A list of previously approved question topics for IB Bio IAs

Lab Ideas by Topic

1. molecules
a. Calorimetry of foods, molecules
b. Diastase/amylase in Barley Seeds breakdown starch > maltose
c. The Effect of Temperature on Lipases
d. The Effect of Substrate Concentration on Catalase
e. Immobilizing enzymes (lactase, lipase, amylase, etc.)
f. Enzyme function and metal ions
g. Changes in starch, sugar, protein during germination
h. Various fats and saturated/unsaturated with iodine test
i. vitamin C assays
j. fermentation (yogurt?)
k. Protein structures, functions, visualization software, FASTA sequences (database)

2. Genetics
a. DNA isolation
b. drosophila simulation
c. other genetics simulations?
d. genetic sequences similarities (database)
e. genetic diseases incidence (database)
f. Effect of using genetically enhanced produce vs organic produce on a country’s food
supply (database)

3. Ecology
a. Factors affecting yeast population growth
b. climate, emissions data, sea surface temperature data, etc.
c. populations and conservation (database)

4. Evolution
a. genetic sequence changes/phylogeny
b. Comparing species & DNA/protein sequences
c. Artificial selection comparing fruit sizes domesticated vs. wild
d. Fruit/seed evolution

5. Physiology
a. fitness human responses homeostasis
 b. disease epidemiology (database)
c. Nutrition and epidemiology (database)
d. pollution levels, respiration vital capacity

6. Metabolism
a. Enzymes enzymes enzymes
b. Cell respiration - yeast, plants, bacteria
c. Photosynthesis - elodea,

7. Plants
a. Transport
b. Reproduction - cell division (mitotic index)
c. Pollen tube growth factors
d. Seed growth
e. Transpiration, potometers, pressure sensors
f. Photosynthesis

8. Animal Phys
a. Neurobio
i. senses - reaction time, vision, hearing, etc
ii. perceptions
iii. reflexes
iv. invertebrate behavior (careful with animals though)
Databases
Health/Nutrition databases:

● WHO/FAO joint - Global and regional food consumption patterns and trends
● FAO stats database - http://faostat.fao.org/
● World Food Program - Hunger Map
● WHO - Global Database on Child Growth and Malnutrition
● WHO - Infant and young child feeding
● WHO - Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System
● WHO - Global Database on Body Mass Index
● Nutrition Landscape Information System (NLIS)
● Gapminder
● USDA Dietary Guidelines Around the World
● USDA nutrients database
● See also the collection of epidemiology longitudinal data sets below

Big data sites with global population data, and collections of data
● Gapminder
● Our World in Data: https://ourworldindata.org/ (datasets for each graph can be
downloaded)
● Lots of options available through Science on a Sphere: https://sos.noaa.gov/Datasets/
● Lots of options available through Zooiniverse:
https://www.zooniverse.org/projects?discipline=biology&page=2&status=live

● A whole collection of databases here

DNA/Gene/Molecular Databases

● DNA Blast
● DNA Blast Actual DNA Sequence for DNA Blast Website
● 1000 Genomes: http://www.internationalgenome.org/data
● Entrez gene sequence database (see a suggested lab approach here)
● RCSB Protein Data Bank: http://pdb101.rcsb.org/
● BioServers: http://www.bioservers.org/bioserver/ (Easy to use interface for DNA
database searches)
● GenBank: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/
● AlFred: https://alfred.med.yale.edu/ (allele frequency)

Ecological/Environmental/Climate Data
 ● CITES endangered species database
● Global Invasive Species Database
● ReefBase global database
● NOAA Climate and weater database
WHO Global Health Observatory
● National Wildlife Health Center:
http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/publications_data/
● NASA Climate Change: http://climate.jpl.nasa.gov/
● Gorongosa Wild Cam: https://www.wildcamgorongosa.org/#/
● Global Biodiversity Information Facility: http://www.gbif.org

Taxonomic collections

● Vert Net: http://www.vertnet.org

● Arctos: https://arctos.database.museum/
● Integrated Digitized Biocollections: https://www.idigbio.org/

Epidemiological studies
National Longitudinal Mortality Study (NLMS)
The current National Longitudinal Mortality Study began in 1983 with agreements with the
Census Bureau which prepared baseline files from surveys representative of the United States
and with the National Center for Health Statistics which prepared the National Death Index
identifying deaths in the baseline populations. The baseline population of over one million
persons has been matched to the NDI on several occasions, resulting in approximately 100,000
deaths occurring in 1979 to 1989. Using available data, an analysis was conducted relating
socio-economic characteristics to subsequent mortality.

China-Cornell-Oxford Project, also known as "China-Oxford-Cornell Study on dietary, lifestyle and

disease mortality characteristics in 65 rural Chinese counties". This study was later referred to as
"China Study I". The successor study is named "China Study II".[31]

Raw data from their study available here

Wolfram|Alpha is an amazing computational search engine. Although not a database by itself,

all results returned are sourced and students can access original data.

Eg. https://www.wolframalpha.com/examples/science-and-technology/health-and-medicine/