Students' understanding of current molecular and cellular concepts is being enhanced through adaptation of modern molecular/biochemistry techniques into their laboratories while simultaneously adapting and implementing an inquiry research based approach into the classes concerned. The laboratories are designed to adapt a cooperative group approach to solving a long-term problem. This is a coordinated approach to changing the curriculum. Three courses, one introductory, two upper division are affected. A basis for the adaptation can be found within the Bioquest home page (http://bioquest.org/note21.html and http://bioquest.org/peas.html)