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 lesson will help students understand what the knowledge of DNA can tell us about ourselves and other organisms and species. Students will also learn about the systematic study of the human genome.

This lecture goes through genetic basis for diversity and 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.