GENETICS Why 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. chromosome 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 DNA DNA profiling is the identification of individuals on the basis of their DNA