GENETICSWhy study Genetics?

DNA CONTROVERSY!• It is important to be able to READ and EVALUATE scientific

information appearing in the media

• Especially if the topic is controversial.

Vocabulary• Technical articles often incorporate

technical vocabulary• Some articles are written by non-

scientists and give INACCURATE or BIASED information.

chromosom

e

gene

heredity

Dominant / recessive

Gut Feeling• Sometimes it is difficult to evaluate

the issue with an open mind • It can be hard to form an opinion

based on scientific evidence rather than gut feeling.

What do you think?• Genetically modified organs from pigs should be available to

transplant into humans.• Everyone’s genetic profile should be available to anyone.• Everyone must have a genetic profile done.• People should be able to determine their children’s genes.• Genetically modified food should be welcomed• Cloning should be allowed to replicate humans or to treat the

sick

Designer Child• People should be able to determine their

children’s genes.• there's a good chance that biotechnology

could give us the ability to pre-choose our children's physical and personality traits like we pick out options on a new car.

Genetic Engineering• Genetically modified food should be

welcomed

Cloning• Cloning should be allowed to replicate

humans or to treat the sick• Cloning is the creation of an organism that is

an exact genetic copy of another. This means that every single bit of DNA is the same between the two!

Genetic Testing / Screening• Everyone must have a genetic profile done.• Genetic testing allows the genetic diagnosis of

vulnerabilities to inherit diseases, and can also be used to determine a person's ancestry.

Freedom of Information• Everyone’s genetic profile should be available

to anyone.

Genetically Modified Food• Genetically modified (GM) foods are derived

from organisms whose DNA has been changed through genetic engineering.

Forensic DNADNA profiling is the identification of individuals on the basis of their DNA