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Why is the North American population of monarch butterflies declining? In 1999, a study published in the journal Nature suggested that a variety of genetically modified corn was killing these iconic butterflies. While it was later shown that the conditions in this study did not mirror those in the field, the results garnered a lot of media attention and many people today still believe that monarchs are being killed by GMOs. This case familiarizes students with the plight of the monarchs, encourages them to think about how to test the hypothesis that a toxin is responsible for their decline, and takes a critical look at several studies that investigated the role of Bt corn in the life cycle of monarchs. This interrupted case takes 60-90 min to complete, requires little to no science background, and can be used to explore the ecology and wildlife management of monarchs; risk assessment, toxicity, and exposure; experimental design, the scientific method, hypothesis, and critical thinking; or the relationship between science, the media and the public.

In this interactive activity adapted from the HHMI Outreach Program at Harvard University, learn about the ways in which stem cells can be used to treat and help cure diseases in humans. The activity explains what stem cells are and how they're produced, and provides details on their existing or potential therapeutic role in diseases related to the pancreas, liver, lungs, and bone marrow.

If you are finding it difficult to understand stem cells, you should know that many other people share your struggle. To make it easier for everyone, we have created a website that covers all you need to know about the topic. With regular updates and a language that speaks clearly, we hope that you will understand the potential of stem cells and how they might play a role in your life or that of someone you know.

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

An elderly woman living independently with some help from her family is brought to the local emergency room because she is confused and vomiting. While her son suspects a stroke, a quick battery of laboratory tests indicates that her current problems are the result of impaired kidney function, an old-fashioned home remedy for ulcers, and her prescribed blood pressure medication. The combination of patient- and drug-related factors produces an acid-base disorder responsible for her confusion. This disorder further disrupts her kidney function. The case illustrates secretion and reabsorption processes in the kidney tubule which regulate plasma and urinary electrolytes (including calcium) and pH. The role of bicarbonate in maintaining systemic pH is emphasized. Interactions among the renal, respiratory and nervous systems in the regulation of systemic pH are also illustrated. Further, basic principles of pharmacotherapy and issues related to the appropriate use of medications are introduced. The case was developed for use in a physiology or human anatomy and physiology course, but it might be used in undergraduate nursing courses as well (e.g., pharmacology, pathophysiology).

Explore DNA replication and the roles of various components in this process. You'll interact with this virtual lab to collect data, make observations, analyze findings, and draw conclusions.

In a retrospective cohort study investigating the role of epigenetic control in the onset of allergic diseases, it was shown that mothers who suffered from allergic symptoms very early in pregnancy were more likely to have offspring with allergies. This was compared to mothers who did not suffer from allergies in early pregnancy, taking into account family history of allergies and total allergic response during pregnancy (10). These results indicate that gene-environment interactions during embryonic development may modify the epigenetic code in ways that may potentially lead to allergic disease.

"CRACKING THE CODE"/"Cloning Paper Plasmid" activities can (1) serve as a review of the "genetic code" and the role it plays in our life; and, (2) to help students see how genes may be manipulated for genetic research, namely, gene cloning/genetic engineering. The laboratory time, the specialized equipment and expertise to carry out recombinant DNA experiments may be lacking in the high school. Activity 2 will help students conceptualize the mechanics involved in cutting and ligating DNAs into a plasmid vector with "sticky ends" of complementary DNA base pairs.

In this audio slide show, Dr. Dana Dolinoy of Duke University explains the role that the epigenome, a sort of second genome, plays in regulating the expression of our genes. As Dolinoy notes, we can no longer say with certainty whether genetics or the environment have a greater impact on our health, because the two are inextricably linked through the epigenome.

When Jordan is diagnosed with brain cancer (glioblastoma multiform), his college plans are unexpectedly put on hold. This scenario is presented in order to teach students about gene regulation, as the efficacy of the drug Jordan receives for post-surgical treatment is dependent upon the activity level of a gene encoding a protein involved in DNA repair. This "flipped" case study requires students to prepare in advance outside of class by watching several short videos that have been selected to teach the basics of how cancer forms as well as the role of epigenetics in gene silencing. Inside of class, the case is delivered using progressive disclosure format in which students gradually receive additional information to answer a series of directed questions. To determine a treatment plan for Jordan, students analyze data from a research study involving patients treated for his specific type of cancer. The case is designed for advanced high school biology classes as well as lower-level undergraduate general biology courses for non-majors and majors.

Pharmacogenomics can play an important role in identifying responders and non-responders to medications, avoiding adverse events, and optimizing drug dose. Drug labeling may contain information on genomic biomarkers and can describe: Drug exposure and clinical response variability Risk for adverse events Genotype-specific dosing Mechanisms of drug action Polymorphic drug target and disposition genes The table below lists FDA-approved drugs with pharmacogenomic information in their labeling. The labeling for some, but not all, of the products includes specific actions to be taken based on the biomarker information. Pharmacogenomic information can appear in different sections of the labeling depending on the actions. For more information, please refer to the appropriate labeling guidance.

Millions of people suffer from asthma, a frightening disease that makes you feel like you're drowning. Using both mouse and human cells - and a humanized mouse to show how human type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) work in the body, researchers at Janssen Research and Development, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School are figuring out ILC2's role in asthma. Their findings have important implications in the quest for effective asthma therapies!

3:09 video RNA may have been the origin of life on Earth. Go on a whirlwind tour of RNA's evolving role through billions of years of evolutionary history. Play the RNA Lab: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/lab...

The possibilities of pseudo-peptide-DNA mimics like PNA (peptide nucleic acid) having a role for the prebiotic origin of life prior to an RNA world is discussed on the basis of literature data showing that this type of molecules might have formed on the primitive earth (or other places in the universe), as well as data indicating the possibilities of template-directed PNA chemical replication and ligation. In particular, the merits of an achiral prebiotic genetic material is discussed.

Origins of Life Abiogenesis article in Wikipedia. The Origin of Life - Abiogenesis, a youtube video produced by Chuck Kopec.  A Simpler Origin for Life, an article by Robert Shapiro in Scientific American. The Miller-Urey Experiment article in Wikipedia. RNA and the RNA World Exploring the New RNA World, an essay by Thomas Cech published on the Nobel Prize website. RNA Video Clips from the HHMI website that include demonstrations of catalysis and interviews with Thomas Cech. A World Apart, an HHMI article about RNA World reseearch and the role of RNAs in medicine.  RNA World article in Wikipedia. Protocells The Emergence of Cells During the Origin of Life, an essay by Irene Chen published in Science.  What Came Before DNA? an article published in Discover featuring Jack Szostak and Steven Benner.  The Szostak Lab Astrobiology The National Astrobiology Institute, established by NASA to study life in the universe.  The SETI Institute, studying the origins, nature and prevalence of life in the universe.  Astrobiology: The Search for Life, a website hosted by the Exploratorium.

If you were limited to choosing only three crops to sustainably farm in an arid, inhospitable environment, what would they be and how would you decide? This interrupted case study places students in the role of a proposed self-sufficient Martian colony that requires an optimized profile of food crops. After students form small groups, they discuss the factors that affect sustainability of a food supply, determine criteria for selection of crops to grow, and rank crops using these criteria. Lists of criteria and of foodstuffs are provided, but the case can easily be transformed into a problem-based learning (PBL) case by having students research and generate their own lists. The case includes questions that walk students through the selection process and require them to explain why they chose their criteria and how those criteria apply to their chosen foods. The case is designed for undergraduate students at the introductory level in courses in astronomy/astrobiology, food science/nutrition, agricultural engineering, or any discipline where sustainability is a key theme.

Published today (17:00BST, 03/06/2015) in the journal Neuron, their work presents strong evidence that disruption of a delicate chemical balance in the brain is heavily implicated in the disorder. In the largest ever study of its kind, the team found that disease-linked mutations disrupt specific sets of genes contributing to excitatory and inhibitory signalling, the balance of which plays a crucial role in healthy brain development and function.

All living things are made of cells. In the human body, these highly efficient units are protected by layer upon layer of defense against icky invaders like the cold virus. Shannon Stiles takes a journey into the cell, introducing the microscopic arsenal of weapons and warriors that play a role in the battle for your health.

4:10 video, Is personalized medicine for individual bodies in our future? Possibly -- with the use of stem cells, undifferentiated cells with the power to become any tissue in our bodies. Craig A. Kohn describes the role of these incredible, transforming cells and how scientists are harnessing their medical potential.

In the Oct. 30 edition of Science, scientists describe strains of laboratory mice bred to test the role of an individual's genetic makeup in the course of Ebola disease. Systems biologists and virologists Angela Rasmussen and Michael Katze from the Katze Laboratory at the University of Washington Department of Microbiology led the study in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health's Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.