Group items tagged

Overview of genetic engineering and business assessment of scientific feasibility.  Good overview of past gene therapy attempts.

overview of the effects of different types of drug and alcohol use during pregnancy

1:28 video that gives very brief overview of DNA structure; bit dated.

Basic overview of genetic engineering GFP in zebrafish (GloFish)

Students begin by watching the online video clip and completing a worksheet. After that assignment, instructors can decide which of the two activities (or both!) to use in class. In Activity 1, students identify the locations on chromosomes of genes involved in cancer, using a set of 139 "Cancer Gene Cards" and associated posters. In Activity 2, students explore the genetic basis of cancer by examining cards that list genetic mutations found in the DNA of actual cancer patients. Small-group work spurs discussion about the genes that are mutated in different types of cancers and the cellular processes that the affected genes control. The Activity 1 and 2 Overview document provides short summaries of the two activities along with key concepts and learning objectives, background information, references and rubrics, and answers to students' questions. Both cancer discovery activities are appropriate for first-year high school biology (honors or regular), AP and IB Biology. Activity 2 is also appropriate for an undergraduate freshman biology class.

This case study follows a young cystic fibrosis (CF) patient named Lucas. Through Lucas's story and interactions between his parents and pediatrician, students learn about the scientific background and basis of CF. By reviewing email correspondence between Lucas's parents and various doctors, students gain an overview of CF research. CF has become a model disease in certain undergraduate biology classrooms due to its relatively clear mechanism and genetic basis. This case asks students to come up with their own ideas to improve on an existing line of research - gene therapy - in treating CF. During the process, students will gain a better appreciation of the innovative nature of science and develop research skills such as finding, understanding and analyzing primary literature. The activity was originally designed for first- and second-year students as part of an extracurricular case competition, but may be used for any undergraduate biology level. The case assumes basic (high school level) knowledge of genetics, biochemistry, cell biology and physiology.

Concise overview of Mendelian genetics on a a few straight forward pages

Overview article with embedded videos

Overview of cancer with animation and basic explanation 5:00min

Overview of characteristics of various stages of cancer.

4:40 video overview of Mendel, Watson and Crick, Human Genome Project, and genomic research.

Text and interactives on human evolution and genetic structure

2:27 video overview of gene therapy

Stem Cell Overview Article with embedded Video 7:53 Discusses gene expression/differentiation 2 minute segments -Pluripotent stem cells in early embryo CDX2 OCT3/4, Inner cell mass start- 1:50 - Characteristics of Stem Cells: differentiation, abilities of stem cells,  1:55- 3:17 - Stem Cells in the Adult Body: red blood cell hematopoetic stem cells, differentiation, small intestine crypts,  3:20-5:35 - Embryonic Stem Cells in Culture: ES pluripotent cells ES cells, treat to neural lineages, culture conditions, study differentiate into lineages 5:40- 7:53

An overview of the immune system, concentrating on the roles played by B and T lymphocytes, and the antigen-presentation system.

2 page overview of epigenetics

2 min -intro overview Chemical reactions need a catalyst to provide a site for the reaction and control the energy flow. Catalysts are made up of enzymes.

2 minute overview of Protista

This case study introduces students to the complex field of immunology and the wide variety of host-pathogen interactions that drive evolutionary change.  The case begins with a basic overview of the phases of the immune response and how each contributes to host defense against an invading pathogen.  In order to delve deeper into each phase, students explore the metaphor of a battle in which a host and pathogen are locked in combat in order to understand the individual components of the immune response.  Once students successfully understand how the immune system works in general, they are then asked to think creatively about how a pathogen that wants to survive could evolve to evade the immune response, and to find concrete examples in the literature.  The overall goal is for students to gain a deeper understanding of the immune response and how host-pathogen interactions drive coevolution of both host immune components and the pathogen itself. The case was originally designed for an introductory biology course, but can easily be adapted for use in a variety of different courses and levels.