BIO 1959H - HUMAN GENETICS AND THE HUMAN GENOME

credits: 6.0
Genetics has become increasingly important in society and medicine, particularly following the sequencing of the human genome, as biotechnologies have advanced faster than legal policy. Scientists and non-scientists alike have an increasing need to be equipped with the basic knowledge to make informed decisions about many issues facing us today. In this course, students will learn how to address such questions as: What are the chances my children will inherit a trait or disease? What does it mean that there’s a gene associated with Disease X, Y, or Z? Can DNA fingerprinting determine guilt or innocence? Is intelligence due to nature or nurture? Should I purchase genetic testing kits advertised on the web, and what can they really tell us? Through a combination of lecture, reading, discussion, and laboratory experimentation, students will learn the fundamentals of genetics as a science, including how our genes make us who we are, how traits are inherited and spread through a population, how biotechnology really works, and how these impact societies. Recent discoveries and news items will serve as a starting point for many of the lectures and discussions, where emphasis will be placed on ethics as well as science. Objectives: A) Describe the structure of DNA and how genetic information is coded; B) Explain how DNA is copied in cells; C) Explain how the genetic code in DNA is used to make proteins; D) Describe how traits are passed on in families; E) Consider ethical issues regarding the use of biotechnologies and genetic testing; F) Identify and utilize credible sources available to the educated layperson; G) Critically analyze scientific claims in popular medial H) Propose and test basic scientific hypotheses. Method of Instruction: Lectures (consisting of PowerPoint presentations, video presentations, drawing on the board, and class discussions) plus laboratory experiments and demonstrations (such as DNA extraction). Method of Evaluation: Exams, laboratory reports, and oral presentations.

Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Honors program or Permission of Instructor.