Students will utilize The Progress of Science Timeline to learn more about several Big Science Projects that have been conducted in the last thirty years. Students will then evaluate common evidence types generated by these projects and determine to which project they belong. Video clips introduce three HudsonAlpha researchers, Dr. Devin Absher, Dr. Joy Agee, and Dr. Brittany Lasseigne. Hear how their work in the HapMap project, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) are shaping our understanding of the function of DNA across multiple populations and multiple diseases. The accompanying slide deck and videos will then examine how these pieces of evidence contribute to our understanding of structure, function and variation present within the TAS2R38 gene resulting in various sensitivities to bitter taste molecules.
Teacher Tip:
Supports AL Biology COS Standard 3.b. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information that explains how advancements in genetic technology (e.g., Human Genome Project, Encyclopedia of DNA Elements [ENCODE] project, 1000 Genomes Project) have contributed to the understanding as to how a genetic change at the DNA level may affect proteins, and in turn, influence the appearance of traits.