Week 5: Genetics and Genomics

Important Persons
         Darwin - Evolution by natural selection
         Gregor Mendel - Segregation and independent assortment
         Walter Sutton Theodore Boveri - Chromosome theory of inheritance
         James Watson Francis Crick - Double helix DNA model

Potential Impact of Molecular Genetics
        Predictive Gene Testing
               1. Prenatal
                        PKU was first
                        29 currently screened, state run programs
               2. Diagnostic Testing
               3. Predictive Testing
                       1. Presymptomatic - Will develop disease if gene present
                       2. Predisponitional - Might develop disease if gene is present
        Gene therapy
              Pharmacogenomics
        Define susceptibility to common disease
             Most diseases have a genetic basis
             Define environmental roles and their effect on individuals and development of disease
        Drug discovery/ predicting response
Ethics
       Commercialization
       Poor countries
       Genetic determinism
       Technology as a solution to a social problem
Single vs. Complex Gene Disorders
       Single
            Environment=not important
            Predictable, high risk
            Low healthcare burden
            Prevalence low
            Age at onset young
       Complex
            Environment=important
            Not predictable, low risk
            High healthcare burden
            Prevalence high
            Age at onset old
Nature vs. Nurture study of adopted children showed that they faced a higher risk of dying early if their biological parent had

HbS - sickle cell!