Genetic testing, screening and prevention
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis
Newborn Screening for Genetic Conditions
DNA Genetic Testing – Screening for Genetic Conditions and Genetic Susceptibility
Centre for Genetics Education Fact Sheets
Human Genetics and Patterns of Inheritance
Genes and ChromosomesGenetic Conditions – Overview
Genetic Counselling
Changes to the Genetic Code
Changes That Make A Gene Faulty
Changes to Chromosomes – Number, Size and Structure
Changes to Chromosome Structure – Translocations Autosomal Recessive Inheritance – Traditional Patterns of Inheritance 1
Autosomal Dominant Inheritance – Traditional Patterns of Inheritance 2
X-linked Inheritance – Traditional Patterns of Inheritance 3
Environmental and Genetic Interactions – Complex Patterns of Inheritance 1
Mitochondrial Inheritance – Complex Patterns of Inheritance 2
Mosaicism – Complex Patterns of Inheritance 3
X Chromosome Inactivation – Epigenetics 1
Genetic Imprinting – Epigenetics 2
When Parents are Relatives – Consanguinity
Centre for Genetics Education Fact Sheets
Just add water: For teachers and students
Dr Peter Wothers
Director of Studies in Chemistry, St Catharine’s College, Cambridge University
Water covers three quarters of our planet and makes up 70% of our bodies, but how much do we really know about H2O?
In this literally explosive demonstration, Dr. Peter Wothers examines the properties of water.
Dr Wothers is the UK’s answer to Dr Karl and has spent the past ten years passing on his knowledge and enthusiasm for science to a wider audience. He will be presenting a thought-provoking, energetic and action-packed show.
See a recording of Dr Wothers lecture at http://fora.tv/2009/08/18/Peter_Wothers_Just_Add_Water
FOR SCHOOLS (suggested for year 7 – 10 students)
Tuesday 20/9, 10 – 11 and 1:30 – 2:30
Wednesday 21/9, 10 – 11 and 1:30 – 2:30
Thursday 22/9, 11:30 – 12:30
COST: FREE
School bookings essential, and close August 20th
More info here or email to mmoylan@unimelb.edu.au
PUBLIC LECTURE (no school classes, teachers welcome)
Thursday 22/9 5 – 6 pm, Masson Theatre, School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne
ENQUIRIES: contact Mick Moylan, mmoylan@unimelb.edu.au
RiAus PDplus: Synthetic Biology – creating life in the lab
What is synthetic biology? Visiting scientist Desmond Lun explained it as “sort of the next stage of genetic engineering. Instead of making small changes to specific genes, we’re really modifying large sections of genome. We’re putting in entirely new traits rather than modifying existing traits.” In this session we explored synthetic biology with two scientists aiming to modify bacteria to make biofuels.
Themes:
- What is synthetic biology? Covers aspects of genetics and genetic engineering.
- Sustainability – applications of synthetic biology e.g. creating cells that produce biofuels or even cells that can break down environmental pollution, creating more sustainable materials
Download teacher notes
RiAus PDplus teacher notes: Food security
What impact may climate change, water security, poor soils and crop disease have on Australia’s food security in the future?
Themes:
- Farmers breeding crops that are resistant to disease
- Seed banks and why they’re so important to food security
- How climate change and population growth is interfering with crop growth
- Sustainable farms of the future
- Making your diet more sustainable
Download teacher notes
Genetic ‘typo’ that boosts cancer risk
A “spelling mistake” in a DNA sequence can trigger a process that switches a crucial anti-cancer gene off.
The Conversation: 16 August 2011
GM food: dinner discussion. The mystery 50%
By Jason Major
TechNyou
That 50% quoted by Peter Langridge and also in our YouTube video on food security has been questioned: where did that figure come from? A fair question and unfortunately for us we stuffed up, or more precisely, Peter did. Amanda Hudswell, the communications manager at ACPFG, has confirmed that Peter unintentionally used the figure of 50% in the context of how much extra food we need to produce in the next 40 years to ensure food security. He meant to quote the figure from the PMSEIC report of 70%. Peter was chair of the Expert Working Group that produced this report.
Peter was the source for the figure for the food security video, so this means the figure used in our food security is wrong and apologies to the audience of GM food: a dinner discussion and the twitterverse people following on #GTmenu for misleading you
Sometimes ya just have them days
Clues about Multiple Sclerosis cause
Scientists have identified the major common genetic variants that contribute to the cause of the devastating neurologic disease, multiple sclerosis (MS).
University of Melbourne: 11 August 2011
Transformation Part 2. Bombardment: Using the particle gun to transform plants
From ACFPG Vector Magazine Issue 13.
This article investigates how scientists use what is known as a particle gun (also known as biolistic transformation) to transform plants.
How much extra food do we need to produce?
By Jason Major
TechNyou
A quick note re: references that give figures for the amount food production will need to increase in coming years to ensure food security
Following our GM food: a dinner discussion held last night in Melbourne, a question was asked on Twitter wondering where the figure of 50% increase in food production needed came from? From memory it was mentioned in the video at the start. Anyone wanting to check the Twitter conversation from the event can search the event’s hashtag #GTmenu
So where did the figure of 50% come from? I actually don’t know. I have seen figures of between 50 to 100% given, depending on the report you read. So I can’t give a specific response to the 50% figure at the moment, but a quick dig in my files reveals some other figures quoted in other reports and articles – see below. There are loads of reports of this nature out there that talk about this. This is just what is at my fingertips.
PMSEIC (2010). Australia and Food Security in a Changing World. The Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council, Canberra, Australia.
With the predicted growth in the world population to around 9 billion, the World Food Summit on Food Security in 2009 set a target of 70 per cent increased food production by 2050 which would require an annual rate of increase of 44 million tonnes.
From Hajkowicz, S & Moody, J 2010, Our future world. An analysis of global trends, shocks and scenarios, CSIRO, Canberra
Food security threats for poorer countries. Whilst some of the world’s population is dealing with too much food others are dealing with too little. The number of undernourished people in the world increased from 848 million to 963 million between 2003–05 and 2008 (IFPRI, 2008, FAO 2008). World food demand will be 75% greater by 2050.
Comment in Nature, 21 July, p287 Freeze the footprint of food
By Jason Clay, Senior Vice President, market transformation, World Wide Fund for nature (WWF)
Progress on some food wedges will occur faster than others. But every current system of food production needs to double productivity per hectare. If we cannot double the genetic potential of the 10–15 main calorie crops, on the same amount of land, we will fail to meet rising demand. NGOs and academics do not control the global food system, so instead they must try to change how governments and the private sector think about food production.
Agriculture for Sustainable Economic Development: A Global R&D
Initiative to Avoid a Deep and Complex Crisis
Joachim von Braun, Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute
Charles Valentine Riley* Memorial Lecture Capitol Hill Forum, Washington D.C., February 28, 2008
(they don’t actually give a figure, just suggest there is a need to increase production) An urgent global R&D initiative for accelerated agricultural productivity Central to the sustainability of world agriculture is a global R&D initiative for accelerated agriculture productivity; such an initiative makes economic sense, is pro-poor and sustainable, and serves security. The R&D initiative needs political leadership and coordination. Industrialized economies, including the United States, should substantially accelerate their investment in international agricultural research and development.
It is my understanding, and I could be wrong here, that the figures given for the required food production increase are based on the assuming that trends such as diminishing water, further land degradation, peak oil/phosphates, continuing poverty and food wastage issues…and the countless other constraints continue. That is, we need to sort all these issues, but if we don’t then this is the amount of extra food we need to produce.