Professor Mary Beth Davis
email: medavis@brynmawr.edu

2007-2008 course: Big Cats, Little Cats, and Their Genes

Lectures will be Wednesdays at 6:30 PM
Independence Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia
8th and Market Street
Philadelphia, PA.

General resource for genetics: New Primer on Genetics from the Human Genome Project. This is a 12 page booklet with excellent coverage of many important topics and good explanations of concepts in basic genetics.

image of DNA from the DOE Human Genome Program (http://www.doegenomes.org/)

     On June 26, 2000 President Bill Clinton, joined by satellite linkage by Prime Minister Tony Blair of England, held a press conference to announce the completion of a "rough draft" of the human genome, the "blueprint" of human genetic information. With the achievement of that genetic milestone, society has officially moved into "The Biotech Age." Stories about genetics appear almost daily in the newspapers and on tv, such as the discovery of a new gene for a human disease, controversy over genetically modified foods, the effects of biotech stocks on the Nasdaq index, and the world's most famous sheep, a clone named Dolly. In the summer of 2001 public attention focused on the stem cell issue, culminating in President George Bush's address to the nation on this subject. As the year 2001 drew to a close, the incidents of bioterrorism in this country, specifically the anthrax attacks, sparked fear and concern throughout the country. As these examples demonstrate, the impact of genetics research is not confined to the research lab or the medical clinic; both the tremendous benefits and the inherent risks of genetic research affect society at many levels. Below are listed some Internet based resources that provide information on a range of topics in basic genetics and applications of genetics research.

Genetics Internet Resources:

Basic Concepts in Genetics

DNA from the Beginning    The site is comprehensive but is broken down into manageable sections.
Access Excellence - A site for teachers and students that contains articles, graphics and educational activities.
American Museum of Natural History - Online Exhibit on Genomics. The web site from the museum's exhibit on genomics from 2001. A good review of basic information and good coverage of present and future possibilities.
The Human Genome: Your Genes, Your Health, Your Future - A presentation of The Welcome Trust. An excellent public resource for recent news in genomic medicine, recent advances in genomic science, and background articles on genomic science.

Recent News Stories in Genetics

Time Magazine - An excellent collection of general articles on many topics in genetics and biotechnology.
New Scientist Magazine - Up to date articles in genetics and other disciplines in life and natural sciences.

The Human Genome Project

Cloning

New Scientist Magazine Special Section on cloning.     The FAQ is especially informative.
Resources on cloning and genetic modification of livestock from the Roslin Institute, the home of the research group that generated Dolly.

Stem Cell Research

Stem Cell Information from the NIH - A comprehensive resource of information on stem cell research with resources for both the general public and research scientists.

Bioethics

Resource list from the National Institututes of Health - A collection of links to resources on bioethics, including sections on genetics, genetic engineering, gene therapy, biotechnology and medicine.

Genetically Modified Organisms

Transgenic Crops and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) - An introduction and resource guide from Colorado State University.

Bioterrorism

Information on anthrax can be found at USAMRIID.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC, has a site with information on anthrax and many other public health issues.
Note: more web sites with information about bioterrorism are listed at the end of the Bioterrorism course web site.

Professional Scientific Organizations

Council for Biotechnology - "An organization founded by leading biotechnology companies to create a public dialogue and share information about biotechnology that is based on objective scientific research, independent expert opinion and peer-reviewed published reports.
Union of Concerned Scientists - A partnership between scientists and concerned citizens to "ensure that all people have clean air and energy, as well as safe and sufficient food." There are often articles about issues in biotech at this site.

Syllabi from previous Wagner courses in the genetics series:
2000-2001 Genetic Engineering And Its Impact On Society
2001-2002 Human Genetics in the Genomics Age
2002-2003 Bioterrorism
2003-2004 Genetic Aspects of Infectious Diseases
2004-2005 Genetics and Popular Culture
2005-2006 Genetics of Inherited Diseases
2007-2007 The Dog and Its DNA

Lastest update: January 22, 2008 Comments? Email Mary Beth Davis