On behalf of all the authors, I am pleased to share our new paper, just published in FEBS Open Bio (Education section): “A nationwide student survey on biochemistry learning resources in Italy.”
This work by Anna Marabotti (University of Salerno), Ivano Eberini (University of Milano), Maria Luisa Genova (University of Bologna), Francesca Mensitieri (University of Salerno) and myself  explores how university students in Italy learn and perceive biochemistry, a subject considered essential to the life sciences but often challenging due to its complex molecular concepts and interdisciplinary nature.
A nationwide survey of over 2,000 students from 49 academic institutions examined the learning resources they use, their reasons for choosing them, and their attitudes toward the subject. The results indicate that students generally find biochemistry interesting, despite its difficulty. They primarily rely on instructor-provided materials, such as lecture slides, alongside self-created resources, including personal notes and audio recordings. Textbooks are mainly used as supplementary references when these preferred materials are insufficient, while AI tools are increasingly being used but are not yet the preferred learning resource. These findings highlight the strong influence of instructor guidance on students’ learning experiences and emphasize the need for clear, high-quality teaching materials and more practical, application-oriented learning activities. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into students’ learning behaviors and offers a foundation for improving biochemistry teaching strategies to promote deeper understanding, greater engagement, and a more inclusive learning environment.

Biochemistry remains a fascinating and essential discipline within the life sciences. Listening to how students actually learn it is the first step toward teaching it better, and we hope this survey will encourage educators to keep doing so.