Course Description:
The purpose of this course is to teach some basic principles of human genetics and molecular biology. Students should be able to see how the practice of science is influenced by societal and cultural values and to discover the relevance of its practices and findings to their own lives. Emphasis is on scientific, personal, ethical, gender, and legal issues associated with human genetics and modern genetic and molecular genetic research.
Readings:
Kevles, D. J., and L. Hood, eds. 1992. The code of codes: Scientific and social issues in the human genome project. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Wexler, A. 1996. Mapping fate: A memoir of family, risk, and genetic research. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Schedule: Week 1: Course introduction, goals, aims, philosophy. Student academic background, specific interests in biology and in this course. Week 2: Class discussion of assigned reading; emphasis on Lewontin, Dream of the human genome. Ethics of the use of technology: Who should decide (scientists, government, general public). Week 3: The Iceland genome project. Charismatic leaders and politics of big science. Ownership, economics of genetic data: government vs. industry. Genetic data bases and privacy. Week 4: History of the U.S. eugenics movement. D. Hughes, Chair, University of Rhode Island, women's studies, guest lecture. Week 5: Group discussion: open reading. Choose topics for the semester. Week 6: Media presentation of science and related social and ethical issues. Week 7: Inherited genetic conditions: ethics and politics of choice children's rights. Week 8: Gene technology (gene analysis, diagnosis, therapy): present status, goals, ethics, politics. Week 9: Group discussion, Mapping fate. Week 10: Behavioral genetics; genes and environment. Week 11: F. L. C. Jackson, department of zoology, University of Maryland, Changing the scientific paradigm: Lessons learned from the Human Genome Project. Guest lecture in conjunction with Conference on Diversifying the culture and curriculum of science, engineering and women's studies. Week 12: Lawlor, Peck. DNA testing in forensic science.Forensic databases: legal and ethical issues. Week 13: R. C. Lewontin, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University. Genes, organisms and environment. Guest lecture, URI visiting scholars and honors program. Week 14: Video Gattaca. Week 15: Group discussion: course overview, future offerings.
Readings: Week 2:
News on HGP goals from 17 Sept 1998 Nature and 18 Sept 1998 Science.
Collins, F.S., A. Patrinos, E. Jordan, et al. 1998. New goals for the U.S. Human Genome Project: 1998-2003. Science 282, 682-689.
Koshland, D.E. Jr. 1988. Biological systems. Science 240, 1385.
Pennisi, E. 1998. Worming secrets from the C. elegans genome. Science 282, 1972-1974. Some fundamental critiques :
Kevles, D. J. and L. Hood. 1992. Preface. In The code of codes, [DJK and LH], eds, Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, vii-ix.
Lewontin, R. C. 1992. Dream of the human genome. The New York Review, May 28, 31-40.
Hubbard, R. 1990. Genes as causes. In The politics of women's biology. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. 70-86.
Nelkin, D. 1993. The name of genetics. Nature 363, 27.
Beckwith, J. 1993. A historical view of social responsibility in genetics. BioScience 43, 327-333.
Marshall, E. 1996. The genome program's conscience. Science 274, 488-490. Reference material:
WAGICS I, 1996. Fundamental concepts in human and medical genetics. 141-147.
Week 3:
Genomics. Genetics textbook. Chapter 17. 519-539.
Kunzig, R. 1998. Blood of the vikings. Discover, December, 90-100.
Schuler, G. D. et al. 1996. A gene map of the human genome. Science 274, 540-546.
Cohen, J. 1997. The genomics gamble. Science 275, 767-772.
Cohen, J. 1997. How many genes are there? Science 275, 769.
Cohen, J. 1997. Hype surrounds genomics, Inc. Science 275, 770.
Hieter, P. and M. Boguski. 1997. Functional genomics: It's all how you read it. Science 278, 601-603.
Enriquez, J. 1998. Genomics and the world's economy. Science 281, 925-926.
Lander, E. S. 1996. The new genomics: Global views of biology. Science 274, 536-539.
Marshall, E. 1998. Iceland's blond ambition. Mother Jones, 22, 53B (EAI A20908493)
Moukheiber, Z. 1998. Genes for sale. Forbes 162, 203B (EAI A20910634)
Enserink, M. 1998. Physicians wary of scheme to pool Icelanders' genetic data. Science 281, 890-891.
Lawton, G. 1997. Norse code holds key to genomics. Chemistry and Industry, 18, 715.
Vogel, G. 1998. Icelandic isolation pays off. Science 297, 991.
Gibbs, W. W. 1998. Natural-born guinea pigs. Scientific American 278, 34.
Marshall, E. 1997. Tapping Iceland's DNA. Science278, 566.
Week 6:
Nelkin, D. 1995. Media messages, media effects. Selling Science, N.Y.: Freeman, 62-72.
Wickelgren, I. 1998. Gene readers. Popular Science, November, 56-61.
Lemonick, M. D. 1999. Designer babies. Time, January 11, 64-66.
Venter, J. S., et al. 1998. Shotgun sequencing of the human genome. Science 280, 1540-1542.
Genetics & IVF Institute. 1999. General information about MicroSort. http://www.givf.com/microsort.html. 2/21/99.
Week 7:
Science + Literacy for Health. 1999. Carlos and Mollie can have a perfectly healthy baby (or can they?). In Your genes, your choices. Chapter 4. www.ornl.gov/hgmis/publicat/genechoice/4_carlos.html. 2/11/99.
Science + Literacy for Health. 1999. Dr. Lu's patients have the right to be tall (or do they?). In Your genes, your choices. Chapter 7. www.ornl.gov/hgmis/publicat/genechoice/7_dr.html. 2/11/99.
Fost, N. 1993. Genetic diagnosis and treatment. American Journal of Diseased Children 147, 1190-1195.
Week 10:
Behavior genetics in adulthood and old age. Program announcement. May 21, 1998. No. PA-98-076. National Institute on Aging; National Institute on Mental Health. www.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAS-98-076.html. 2/20/99.
Berkowitz, A. 1996. Our genes, ourselves? BioScience 46, 42-51.
Kelner, K., and J. Benditt. 1994. Genes and behavior. Science 264, 1685.
Mann, C.C. 1994. Behavioral genetics in transition. Science 264, 1686-1689.
Barinaga, M. 1994. A new tool for examining multigenic traits. Science 264, 1691.
Bouchard, T. J. Jr. 1994. Genes, environment, and personality. Science 264, 1700-1701.
Week 11:
Jackson, F. 1997. Assessing the human genome project: An African-American and bioanthropological critique. In Plain
talk about the human genome project : A Tuskegee University conference on its promise and perils ... and matters of
race. E. Smith and W. Sapp, eds. CAENS: Tuskegee University Publications Ofc. 95-103.
Cavalli-Sforza, L. L. 1998. The Chinese human genome diversity project. Proc. National. Academy of Science USA 95, 11501-11503.
Dickson, D. 1998. Back on track: the rebirth of human genetics in China. Nature 396, 303-306.
Huang, G. M. 1998. Growing pains of a genomics industry. Nature 396, 307.
Week 12:
Asplen, C.H. 1999. National commission explores its future. National Institute of Justice Journal, January. 17-24.
Cummings, M. R. 1997. Death of a czar. In Human heredity, principles and issues. 4th ed., 316.
Week 13:
Niccol, A. 1997. Gattaca. Columbia Pictures. D. M. deVito, Shamberg, and S. Sher producers.
Week 14:
Wilkins, A. S., and J. D. Watson. 1999. Interviews on genomics. BioEssays 21, 175-178.
Mahowald, M. B., M.S. Verp, and R. R. Anderson. 1998. Genetic counseling: Clinical and ethical challenges. Annual Review of Genetics 32, 547-559.
