Clouds

This week in Honors Biology we are going to start learning about cancer.  Watch the video below:

Do you remember the song "Clouds" from the movie "UP"?

What do you think?

Presidential Stem Cells

Happy Presidents Day!  I hope you are all enjoying this Monday with no school.  This week's blog assignment is going to be a little different than the past two weeks.  You have two options.

Option 1:
This morning at breakfast we were discussing Presidents' day and favorite presidents.  My husband, the AP U.S. History teacher loves Abraham Lincoln.  Dominic would ideally love to be a cowboy like Daniel Boone defending the Alamo.  Clearly, the glory of cowboys and soldiers makes James K. Polk his favorite president--don't mess with Texas.  Joey is a big fan of Theodore Roosevelt.  The safaris, outdoor adventures, snakes in his dorm room and the fact that DC comics created Batman because of Theodore Roosevelt make him the obvious choice for a six year old.   How does this relate to biology you might be asking yourself?

While you might be aware that James Garfield was shot in the back by an assassin, did you know that he could have survived if his doctors had listened to Joseph Lister?  Lister had all these crazy ideas about germs in the air, sanitizing tools, sterile surgical wear and the cleanliness of the general surgical field.  Garfield's doctors thought Lister was delusional.  Germs in the air?  Clean tools?  At the time, dried caked blood on your surgical gown was a sign of accomplishment.  Doctors poked their fingers around in Garfield's wound ultimately killing him with bacteria.  Alexander Graham Bell (the telephone guy) was so frustrated that he is quoted saying, "science will have to save the president."

Yes.  Indeed, President's day is related to biology.

Who is your favorite president?  Why?  What did he do?  Can you make a link to biology? Write a scholarly response describing your favorite president.

The link below will help you learn about the presidents:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/

Option 2:
This week in class we will begin discussing the cell cycle.  As part of the discussion on the cell cycle, we will also be learning about stem cells.  Your book has a great section that you will read that explains stem cell research.  However, the great stem cell debate is alive and kicking.  If you choose option 2, you will find me a link to a valid article or video that discusses the stem cell debate.  In addition to the link about stem cell research, you will also write a scholarly response, explaining what you learned in the article or video.  For this option, you need to include both the media link and the summary.  Here is a cool link to NOVA to help you get started:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/miracle/stemcells.html

Hidden Messages

I don't know about you, but I have always loved books, stories and puzzles with hidden messages.  Like we discussed last week in class, I am a huge fan of crime shows and mysteries.  Trying to figure out the puzzle gives me a sense of accomplishment.  On December 12, 2013 Forbes magazine published the article below about the hidden message in DNA.  Scientists at the University of Washington have found that the 64 codons that control protein synthesis may also have another message.  Is this true?  Is it all hype?  Is there really hidden messages in the DNA (how cool would that be)?  

For this week's blog assignment, I would like you to look at the articles below.  What do you think?  Is this really a major breakthrough in the study of DNA or is it just some hype?  What is your opinion about hidden messages?  

With this being Valentines week, I can't help but ponder all the hidden messages out there... 

Long Article from Forbes magazine:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2013/12/13/seven-ways-to-look-at-the-double-meaning-of-dna-code/

Simplified Version:
http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/12/12/scientists-discover-double-meaning-in-genetic-code/

Reality Check (Should I believe all this hype?):
http://www.forbes.com/sites/emilywillingham/2013/12/13/dont-be-duped-by-duon-dna-hype/

The Gene Factory

In this month's publication of The New Yorker magazine, there is an article that discusses genetic engineering and the genetic-research center B.G.I., formerly known as the Beijing Genomics Institute.  Located in China, B.G.I. works to decipher the basic code of life.  The past two weeks in Honors Biology class we have discussed DNA, DNA replication and protein synthesis.  The basis of the "code of life" is  made up of four nucleotides:  adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine. (This should sound familiar.)

B.G.I. hopes that by decoding as many life-forms as possible will enable them to explain the "origins and the evolution of humanity, improve our average life span by five years, increase global food production by ten percent, decode genetic diseases" and more.  China's one-child policy may have prevented over-population in China, but it may lead parents to genetically engineer the "perfect child."  Scientists are predicting that in the next twenty to forty years, most babies will be conceived through in-vitro fertilization.  Hank Greely, a professor at Stanford, even wrote a book on the "ethical implications of genomics and human reproduction" entitled "The End of Sex" that will be published next year.

Your blog assignment for this week is to write a persuasive response to support your opinion on using genetics to improve the quality of life.  Is it morally correct to genetically engineer the perfect child?  If China starts promoting genetic screening will the United States follow?  If you could prevent your future children from having disease or disabilities would you?  By using genomics we could create better crops and end world hunger.  Is it worth it?  Will all humans end up looking alike?  What will happen to athletics?  You need to have scholarly writing and provide examples either in favor or against using genomic data.  Be thoughtful in your writing.

Specter, Michael.  (2014).  The gene factory.  The New Yorker, 89, 34-41.