2001-2002: Human Genetics in the Genomics Age

Professor Mary Beth Davis
email: medavis@brynmawr.edu

image at left from the U.S. Dept. of Energy publication "Genomes to Life"

     The 20th century began with the "rediscovery" of Mendel and his paper on his experiments with peas, and it ended with the completion of the sequence of the human genome. During those hundred years Mendel's particulate units of heredity, now known as genes, were shown to be segments of DNA that contain the information to build proteins. Generally by studying one gene at a time, scientists investigated how information encoded in DNA is used to direct the development and function of an organism. Collectively, genetics research in the 20th century made phenomenal progress in understanding the fundamental aspects of genetics. In the 1980's many geneticists began to aggressively apply their efforts to characterize in detail all of the genes and associated DNA in an organism - its genome. Genome projects on bacteria, yeast, a soil worm, the fruit fly, and humans were initiated, leading to a new subdiscipline in biology called genomics. Genomics research may involve studying large groups of genes simultaneously or even all of the genes in an organism. Genomic science has already contributed to new and interesting advances in medicine, agriculture, archaeology, and environmental science. In this class we will focus on the applications of genomics to understanding human genetics, and we will examine specific examples in the areas of medicine, public health, and anthropology.

Course syllabus

January 23: Lessons from the first 150 years of genetics.
What we have learned from the study of bacteria, yeast, worms, and fruit flies. An introduction to basic concepts in classical and molecular genetics.

January 30: Understanding the roles of genes and environmental factors in determining human traits.
What does it mean to have a gene for a particular trait? We will discuss simple traits, such as blood type, which are determined by a single gene, as well as complex traits, such as body size, which are determined by the activities of several genes. We will also discuss how environmental factors influence gene activity.

February 6: The Human Genome Project one year later.
Topics from DNA sequence to gene discovery to comparative genomics will be presented.

February 13: Applications of genetic research to human health care.
An exploration of genetic testing and recent advances in gene therapy.

February 20: Genomics, genetic disorders and population genetics.
Many genetic disorders are disabling yet the mutant genes (alleles) for many disorders, though unevenly distributed, are relatively frequent in certain human populations. We will examine genetic studies of specific human genetic diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia.

February 27: Tracing ancestry using genomic technologies.
DNA fingerprinting, forensic sciences and historical personages: the case of Thomas Jefferson and his descendants and other examples of biological anthropology.

Return to the homepage for the Genetics Series at the Wagner Free Institute of Science

Lastest update: January 20, 2002. Comments? Email Mary Beth Davis