All humans share the same set of genes, but the ones in your genome are a once in a lifetime collection, unique in all of history. The nature of our genes, their contribution to who we are as individual people, as a culture, and as a species leads to many unanswerable questions. In this course, students will develop knowledge of gene structures and the expression of genetic information as heritable traits. To build context for how society has responded to human genetic knowledge, students will investigate the misapplication of genetics through historic eugenic programs, discuss the personal and societal impact of genetic disorders, and investigate a future where gene augmentation for therapeutic and artistic goals is possible. We will consider the technological challenges, ethical conundrums, and personal dilemma that are associated with the risks and benefits of CRISPR-based gene therapy. Throughout, we will probe how the perception and function of our genetics defines us as a human, regardless of ability or disability.
Below are some of our most useful resources for this Brock Experience. You will find the complete list of Biological and Environmental Sciences databases on our A-Z list.
OMIM: Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man®: An Online Catalog of Human Genes and Genetic Disorders
Provides a history of the American people and a testament to the growth of the nation from the colonial period through to the twentieth century. The periodicals focused on American concerns and were predominantly published in the United States or Canada, though some were published overseas by Americans living abroad. The collection offers multiple perspectives on the thought, culture, and society of North America through the eyes of those who lived it, showing how history affected citizens from all walks of life. The collection includes unusual and short-lived magazines as well as better-known titles with long runs. Early periodicals in the collection focus on colonial life and the growing tensions between colonists and their oversea rulers leading up to the American Revolution. Common themes depicted in antebellum periodicals reveal a rapidly growing young nation where industrialization, western expansion, and regional political differences were a daily reality for many Americans. The Civil War and Reconstruction eras are well represented, documenting the conflict and its aftermath from a variety of perspectives and allowing readers to bear witness to this pivotal period in American history. Early twentieth-century titles document the second Industrial Revolution, immigration, women's rights, and World War I, as well as fashion and music during the Roaring Twenties.
Provides a searchable database for the backfiles of hundreds of full text journals across a wide variety of disciplines. (Backfiles start in the 1800s and end 3-5 years prior to current date.)