Why study genetics? It has a profound effect on your life!

#1 You are a product of half of your mother’s genes and half of your father’s genes—a unique combination (unless you are an identical twin)

#Health care and medicine Some diseases are caused by a mutation in a single gene – Rare – Risk of inheritance can be predicted

resres Many diseases have a genetic basis but are affected by environment. – Many cancers – Heart disease – Obesity – diabetes

p Some medicine is produced using biotechnology – Insulin – Human growth hormone

Some diseases like high blood pressure respond differently to medications based on genetics – African-Americans and high blood pressure

Agriculture Genetically modified food Animals fed supplements and hormones

Establishing Identity and ancestry Forensics – Murder – Rape – Exoneration

Identity Plane crashes War Mass graves 9/11

Ancestry Adopted children example

ecology Sequencing all the DNA in a habitat – Human large intestine – Soil – ocean

NIH Human Microbiome Project defines normal bacterial makeup of the body