Open Educational Resources on virus research

European XFEL has developed a comprehensive set of Open Educational Resources (OER) on virus research aimed at senior high school students.

About the educational materials

These OER materials, developed as part of a Joachim Herz Foundation-funded initiative, comprise four distinct modules covering various facets of virus research.

The modules include an informative and entertaining short movie highlighting virus research at European XFEL, an experiment dedicated to identifying coronavirus variants, materials for DNA sequencing and the design of essential primers crucial for DNA amplification. These educational resources are now freely accessible as OER under a Creative Commons license.

Designed for flexibility, the complementary modules can be utilized either collectively or individually in classrooms and school laboratories. Furthermore, the material will be used in the Xcool Lab at European XFEL, which is currently under construction, after the opening of the lab in autumn 2024.

Currently available in both German and English, module 1 comprises the short movie and animations designed to motivate students to delve into the fascinating world of virus research. The subsequent modules are set to be available in English in the course of 2024.

Educational modules

Module 1: Short Movie and Animations


Module 2: PCR and Gel Electrophoresis in the Laboratory

In the practical segment of module 2, students engage in hands-on activities involving one of three SARS-CoV-2 variants. Their objective is to scientifically determine the unknown variant through experiments and result analysis.


Module 3: Sequence Analysis and Mutations

Module 3 delves into sequencing, family trees, and types of mutations. Utilizing the open-source software MEGA, students have the opportunity to analyze DNA sequences of the surface proteins of the three variants – wild type, delta, and omicron – in more detail.


Module 4: Primer Design

Module 4 focuses on primer design, guiding students through the process of designing primers with considerations for binding possibilities and suitable hybridization temperatures for PCR.