Integrating socio-scientific issues into undergraduate cell biology: a transferable curriculum framework using pandemic contexts

This manuscript presents a conceptual, design-based curriculum framework for integrating socio-scientific issues (SSI) into undergraduate cell biology instruction. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as an authentic context, the proposed pedagogical design connects core biological concepts—including viral infection mechanisms, cellular immunity, and vaccine development—with the anticipated development of scientific literacy, critical thinking, and civic responsibility. Through blended learning strategies, immersive case studies on SARS-CoV-2 cellular invasion, evidence-based analysis of pandemic-related misinformation, and collaborative inquiry activities, the curriculum is designed to bridge disciplinary knowledge with real-world scientific reasoning. The framework emphasizes practical instructional innovation and provides detailed, reproducible guidelines that higher education faculty across diverse institutional contexts could adapt. As a conceptual framework, this work does not report empirical findings; rather, it proposes a theoretically grounded model intended to foster student recognition of the value in integrating scientific reasoning with civic engagement and to clarify educational purposes through SSI-based projects. The proposed design is anticipated to demonstrate how global health challenges can be transformed into powerful educational opportunities for cultivating scientifically literate, socially responsible graduates.