Cure is the most desirable outcome for patients with many infectious diseases — but it’s not always possible. Even when a disease is curable, it may take time to obtain a treatment that works. In the meantime, patients need to make decisions about whether they want to risk the potential return of their disease and continue to comply with therapy. A cure may be worth it if the benefits of continuing treatment outweigh the risks.
In addition, curing a disease removes the threat of transmission to others. This is particularly important for diseases that are highly transmissible, such as hepatitis C and HIV. A cure may also reduce stigma toward individuals with a condition. The degree to which stigma is alleviated may depend on the extent to which a person’s behavior or appearance contributes to their perceived status as an infected or disabled individual.
Pedagogical studies show that students in science labs that incorporate a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) experience greater discovery ownership and scientific identity than students in traditional laboratory courses (1,2). More recently, a number of community college institutions have established CUREs to allow their students to engage in the scientific process outside of their classroom. This chapter discusses a variety of ways in which CUREs can be implemented in the classroom and highlights resources to support faculty implementing and evaluating their CUREs.