This unit includes one week of lessons which immediately follow the Genetics and DNA units. The previous knowledge gained from these units, as well as a previous project where students researched and shared with their classmates a specific genetic disorder, will provide the background for students to participate in a debate about the ethical issues of applying information available through the Human Genome Project (HGP).

Rather than focus on the scientific details of this discovery, this chapter gives an overview of the important concepts related to DNA's initial discovery and later research conducted in this field. Teachers can use the lesson plans and materials to help students understand these fundamental concepts and gain a command of the vocabulary necessary to discuss them. Given the amazing advances in biological research and the new knowledge that has become available to human beings about their own biological makeup, it is important for students to know basic concepts related to DNA research and the human genome project. This following lesson provides a basic introduction to this topic in an interactive fashion.

This video segment from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" looks at the meaning and significance of the effort to decode the human genome.

DNA is the key to human life. When DNA is corrupted, changes occur in specific parts of the organism. Some of these changes can be fatal while others are beneficial. In this lesson we will look at the process of DNA mutation and how it impacts proteins produced by the organism.  You will research different genetic disorders and empathize with the impacts they have on your body.StandardsBIO.B.2.1 Compare Mendelian and non-Mendelian patterns of inheritance.

The human genome project was one the most important human discoveries in the past 100 years. It creates a map of every gene in the human body.  Through this lesson you will explore the history of the genome project, its applications today, and implications for your life.  In addition, you will reflect on its impact on your life and determine if you think this is a positive or negative change. Based on your understanding, you will look at different perspectives with empathy to better understand how this technology impacts other people's lives.StandardsBIO.B.2.4Explain how genetic engineering has impacted the fields of medicine, forensics, and agriculture (e.g., selective breeding, gene splicing, cloning, genetically modified organisms, gene therapy).

This exercise contains two interrelated modules that introduce students to modern biological techniques in the area of Bioinformatics, which is the application of computer technology to the management of biological information. The need for Bioinformatics has arisen from the recent explosion of publicly available genomic information, such as that resulting from the Human Genome Project.

it would be ideal if students already have learned that DNA is the genetic material, and that DNA is made up of As, Ts, Gs, and Cs. It also would help if students already know that each human has two versions of every piece of DNA in their genome, one from mom and one from dad. The lesson will take about one class period, with roughly 30 minutes of footage and 30 minutes of activities.

For more than two decades J. Craig Venter and his research teams have been pioneers in genomic research. Regarded as one of the leading scientist of the 21st century, Venter discusses how he is applying tools and techniques developed to sequence the human genomes to discover new genes of microbes from around the world. (57 minutes)

Students will use effective research skills to find and select appropriate information to create a "poster" to inform others about a genetic disorder.  They will use their research to create a single PowerPoint slide to be used as a poster or fact sheet that presents information about the genetic disorder they select.  The slide will be graded on the information presented, neatness, and legibility.  Students will then share their research in a Gallery Walk to learn about the genetic disorders researched by their classmates.  As they read/listen to the information presented for each project, they will take notes and provide comments.

This activity provides brief instructions and recommended reliable sources for students to investigate and report on a genetic disorder of their choice.

One of the fastest-growing areas of medical research is that of genetic testing and gene therapy. This chapter introduces students to this area of DNA research and helps them explore the related ethical issues. Scientists have recently completed a preliminary ‰ŰĎmap‰Ű of all the genes in the human body. This is also known as the Human Genome Project and consists of all the sequences of DNA chemical units that tell a cell how to behave. This accomplishment has incredible benefits. However, it also raises new, complex issues that society cannot ignore.

New understanding of human genetics will not only make it easier to diagnose diseases, it will also change how diseases are treated. Scientists and drug companies are using knowledge from the Human Genome Project to find cures for everything from cancer to obesity (see chapter 1: Mapping the Human Genome). This new medicine is called "genomic" medicine. Medicine is changing at a rapid rate as a result of the new knowledge of the human genome. It is important for students to know how drugs and treatments are changing and will continue to change.

By examining the progress of a genetic eye disease, students learn about eyes, genetic disorders, and neurons in this case designed for clickers and large lecture sections.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Define genomicsDescribe genetic and physical mapsDescribe genomic mapping methods

Gene expression is controlled by a complicated network of transcription factors and repressors, interacting with genomic features such as promoters and enhancers, dependant on epigenetic marks at those loci. Ensembl provides access to epigenomic data on histone modifications and protein binding across the genome, integrated with data on genes and genetic variation.

Join Ensembl to investigate a genomic region which controls gene expression, determine its activity in different cell types and view the epigenomic markers at that locus, plus see how to access these data in bulk.

Who is this course for?
No prior knowledge of bioinformatics is required, but an undergraduate level knowledge of biology would be useful.

The goal of the Genetic Origins Program is to allow students to use their own DNA variations (polymorphisms) as a means to explore our shared genetic heritage and its implications for human health and society. Genetic Origins focuses on two types of DNA variations: an Alu insertion polymorphism on chromosome 16 (PV92) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the control region of the mitochondrial (mt) chromosome. With two alleles and three genotypes, PV92 is a simple genetic system that illustrates Mendelian inheritance on a molecular level. PV92 data is readily analyzed using population statistics. The mt control region is one of the simplest regions of human DNA to sequence. With a high mutation rate, the mt control region is the "classical" system for studying human and primate evolution. The Genetic Origins site and linked Bioservers site have all the information needed for students to perform the Alu and mt DNA experiments and analyze the results - including online protocols, reagents, animations and videos explaining key concepts, and database tools.

Students are introduced to genetic techniques such as DNA electrophoresis and imaging technologies used for molecular and DNA structure visualization. In the field of molecular biology and genetics, biomedical engineering plays an increasing role in the development of new medical treatments and discoveries. Engineering applications of nanotechnology such as lab-on-a-chip and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) microarrays are used to study the human genome and decode the complex interactions involved in genetic processes.

Ensembl provides the GENCODE gene annotation that is used by major sequencing projects, such as gnomAD, GTEx and ENCODE. In this webinar you will learn about how the GENCODE genes are annotated and how you can best use them to report the locations of clinically relevant variants. We will also cover our latest project, collaborating with RefSeq to create the MANE (Matched Annotation from NCBI and EBI) transcript set, to ensure consistent variant reporting across databases.

Who is this course for?
This webinar is individuals working on clinical genomics who wish to learn more about the annotating and reporting variants. No prior knowledge of bioinformatics is required, but an undergraduate level knowledge of genetic variation would be useful.

Part of an interdisciplinary week-long unit on DNA and genetics with activities in science, math, and language arts. This lesson is Part A: Science. Students complete a teacher-made scavenger hunt as an introduction to DNA and genetics, then watch a short video and use their science books to learn more about the topic. Students work in pairs to investigate DNA, genetics, and cloning through internet research and compile their information in the form of their own internet scavenger hunt.

This lesson introduces students to the concepts of evolution, specifically the evolution of humans. So often our students assume that humans are well adapted to our environments because we are in control of our evolutionary destiny. The goal is to change these types of misconceptions and get our students to link the concepts learned in their DNA, protein synthesis, and genetics units to their understanding of evolution. Students will also discover that humans are still evolving and learn about the traits that are more recent adaptations to our environment. The lesson is designed to take two one-hour class periods to complete. The activities will allow students to draw connections between environmental pressures and selected traits, both through data analysis and modeling. Most activities can be done without any special materials, although the Modeling Natural Selection activity needs either a tri-colored pasta, or tricolored beans, to be completed effectively.

The topic of this video module is how to classify animals based on how closely related they are. The main learning objective is that students will learn how to make phylogenetic trees based on both physical characteristics and on DNA sequence. Students will also learn why the objective and quantitative nature of DNA sequencing is preferable when it come to classifying animals based on how closely related they are. Knowledge prerequisites to this lesson include that students have some understanding of what DNA is and that they have a familiarity with the base-pairing rules and with writing a DNA sequence.

Biotechnology is perhaps the most rapidly advancing area in science today. The Advances in Biotechnology volume has been created to provide language teachers with resources about breakthroughs in biotechnology. Each chapter of the volume highlights one aspect of research in the field of DNA and genetics along with its applications to and implications for society. The chapters feature relevant background information on each topic, interactive and communicative classroom activities, and a list of related print and Internet resources that will allow teachers to expand the lesson further.

Metagenomics, the genomic analysis of microbial communities from samples like water and soil, involves high-throughput sequencing of the microbial DNA, collecting, archiving and re-sharing the genomic data for taxonomic and functional analysis.

By the end of the course you will be able to:
Conduct appropriate quality control and decontamination of metagenomic data and run simple assembly pipelines on short-read data
Utilise public datasets and resources to identify relevant data for analysis
Apply appropriate tools in the analysis of metagenomic data
Submit metagenomics data to online repositories for sharing and future analysis
Apply relevant knowledge in strain resolution and comparative metagenomic analysis to their own research

The Genetics Student Edition book is one of ten volumes making up the Human Biology curriculum, an interdisciplinary and inquiry-based approach to the study of life science.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe three types of sequencingDefine whole-genome sequencing

Students reinforce their knowledge that DNA is the genetic material for all living things by modeling it using toothpicks and gumdrops that represent the four biochemicals (adenine, thiamine, guanine, and cytosine) that pair with each other in a specific pattern, making a double helix. They investigate specific DNA sequences that code for certain physical characteristics such as eye and hair color. Student teams trade DNA "strands" and de-code the genetic sequences to determine the physical characteristics (phenotype) displayed by the strands (genotype) from other groups. Students extend their knowledge to learn about DNA fingerprinting and recognizing DNA alterations that may result in genetic disorders.

Ensembl is a genome browser that provides a single point access to annotated gene and genomes. This webinar will provide a brief overview to the Ensembl browser and demonstrate how you can access information about genes or genomes of your interest. We will also showcase the data types and tools available at Ensembl which can help your research.

Who is this course for?
This webinar is suitable for any researcher in life sciences who is interested in studying genes and genomes. No prior knowledge of bioinformatics is required, but an undergraduate level knowledge of biology would be useful.

Outcomes
By the end of the webinar you will be able to:

Explore and access the data types available at Ensembl
Describe the application of Ensembl browser
Identify where to find help in Ensembl

in the following video you can find a list of useful free on-line tools for DNA sequence analisys.

Genome3D provides consensus structural annotations and 3D models for sequences from ten model organisms, including human. These data are generated by several UK-based resources that together form the Genome3D consortium: SCOP, CATH, SUPERFAMILY, Gene3D, FUGUE, pDomTHREADER and PHYRE. InterPro, meanwhile, provides functional analysis of proteins by classifying them into homologous superfamilies and families, and by predicting domains, repeats and important sites, based on data from 14 member databases.

This webinar presents the new InterPro entry type, Homologous superfamily, as well as describing domain and structure predictions from Genome3D annotations, and how they are integrated in InterPro.

Who is this course for?
This webinar is aimed at individuals working with variation data who wish to learn about Genome3D and InterPro's Homologous superfamily. No prior knowledge of bioinformatics is required, but undergraduate level knowledge of biology would be useful.

The Ensembl project (www.ensembl.org) offers integrated genome, variation, gene regulation and comparative genomics data of mainly vertebrate genomes on an open access web browser platform. This webinar will introduce you to visualising your own datasets in the genome browser.

Who is this course for?
This webinar is aimed at bioinformaticians and wet-lab biologists. No prior knowledge of bioinformatics is required, but undergraduate level knowledge of biology would be useful.

Genetic variation is fundamental to the evolution of all species and is what makes us individuals. This course focuses on heritable variation and will give you a taste of the resources you can use to explore genetic variation data.

By the end of the course you will be able to:
Review sources of genetic variation
Describe the possible effects of genetic variation
Identify common genetic variation file types and formats
Describe types of genetic variation studies

Genetic variation is fundamental to the evolution of all species and is what makes us individuals. Our genes have a large influence on our lives. They affect what we look like, our personalities and preferences and our susceptibility to disease. By studying genetic variation we hope to understand the molecular processes that contribute to life on earth.

By the end of the course you will be able to:
List examples of genetic variation databases
Describe the type of data found in different genetic variation databases
Explore genetic variation data within publicly available resources

European Genome-phenome Archive (EGA) is a permanent repository for all types of potentially identifiable genetic and phenotypic data from biomedical research projects.

This webinar aims to cover a quick introduction to EGA by exploring topics ranging from searching and accessing data in EGA to interpreting Data Use Ontology (DUO) codes. We will also demonstrate downloading data with an EGA test account.

Who is this course for?
Anyone who is interested in secure archiving or accessing distribution services for controlled access to human biomedical omics data. An undergraduate level knowledge of biology, and in particular some knowledge of genetics and genomics, would be an advantage.

Outcomes
By the end of the webinar you will be able to:

Explore the scope of EGA
Explain the usage of DUO codes
Access and download data from EGA

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the structure of DNAExplain the Sanger method of DNA sequencingDiscuss the similarities and differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic DNA

What is bioinformatics and where does it fit with bench-based life science research? Find out more about bioinformatics tools and resources that are available and how you can start to apply them in your research.

By the end of the course you will be able to:
Assess the role of bioinformatics in molecular science.
Describe the key features of primary and secondary databases.
List strategies for describing data consistently.
Identify some of the different types of data analysis that can be applied to solving biological problems.

Students construct paper recombinant plasmids to simulate the methods genetic engineers use to create modified bacteria. They learn what role enzymes, DNA and genes play in the modification of organisms. For the particular model they work on, they isolate a mammal insulin gene and combine it with a bacteria's gene sequence (plasmid DNA) for production of the protein insulin.

This quick tour provides a brief introduction to the European Genome-phenome Archive (EGA), a permanent repository for all types of potentially identifiable genetic and phenotypic data from biomedical research projects.

By the end of the course you will be able to:
Explore the EGA resource
Identify how to access and submit data
Find out how data access is controlled in the EGA

Bioinformatics brings together concepts from biology, computer science and mathematics to build resources for analysing complex and big data in life sciences. This online tutorial will help you explore some concepts and resources in bioinformatics with videos presented by experts from EMBL-EBI and worldwide.

By the end of the course you will be able to:
Identify resources related to your bioinformatics concepts of interest
Know where to find out more about EMBL-EBI resources
List some of the tools and resources available at EMBL-EBI

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe gel electrophoresisExplain molecular and reproductive cloningDescribe uses of biotechnology in medicine and agriculture