[Thank you to HS320 students who shared several links on fun genomics].
Genomics is becoming increasingly popular in film, social media, and games. Can you find other online tools (i.e. video, TV show, movies, cartoon ... etc) that highlights genomics in a fun, and educational manner? Share the link. Briefly describes how the example relates to genomics.
Here are example of genomics showcased in the following:
In a video game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VqvNuSzsKM
In a cartoon:
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_loulk8ZoIe1qluz27o1_500.gif
In the movie: Jurassic Park 3D
As one student shared: "In the beginning, they had a clip on how they extracted DNA from dinosaurs. They found mosquitoes that sucked the blood from dinosaurs in the past and the mosquitoes would land on trees and get covered/harden in sap. Years later, researchers found these mosquitoes and extracted blood from them, which contained dinosaur DNA!"
In the TV Show: Grey's Anatomy
Meredith finds out that she has the Alzheimer's gene after she's had her genome mapped.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4jgUcxMezM
ReplyDeleteThis is a link that helped put Skin Cancer into perspective for our group during our project. It is a video that talks about the risks of skin caner, what it is, and why knowing our family history can help. The family history is where genomics come in.
This cartoon depicts a classroom setting of DNA strands teaching little DNA strand students about what they are made of. It is sort of an anatomy class for these little DNA strands. I picked this cartoon to share with the class because it made me laugh and it reminded me of the play, the Edge of the Map. When Mr. Greg was teaching his class the essential amino acids: A, T, C, G that make up DNA. Maybe these DNA teachers in the cartoon should consider teaching the kinetic/theatrical way that Mr. Greg portrayed this basic genetics lesson.
ReplyDeleteLink to Cartoon:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-za4eUInUDkE/T98bnIJzZUI/AAAAAAAAEGM/Q-Bnb7arGZc/s1600/learning-genetics.gif
Gattaca is a sci-fi film that explores the idea of preimplantation genetic diagnosis to select for the best hereditary traits, and the implications for "invalids" that do not possess the best combination of traits.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gattaca
The Halo video game series features a genetically enhanced super-soldier.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(series)
Game of Thrones!sort of...
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't explicitly talk about genomics, but one of the main characters kind of uses it. Basically, this guy, Ned, is the hand of King Robert (who has dark hair). After King Robert dies, his son Joffrey (who's an evil kid) is in line to take his throne. Ned goes through the family history/records and realizes everyone from Robert's family has dark hair, yet Joffrey has blond hair. Basically, Ned uses these phenotypes to come to the conclusion that Joffrey isn't the true heir to the throne because he's not really Robert's son, (he's actually born from an incestuous relationship). Too bad they didn't have paternity tests back then.
I couldn't find the exact clip from the show, but there's a little comic about it.
https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/6720739328/h57327A68/
And Joffrey is produced by inbreeding so technically he is predisposed to more diseases, yet all of the Queen's children are inbred and perfectly fine without any genetic problems.
DeleteI thought of myriad genetics when I found this cartoon. It's a play on whether companies care about giving people data about their genes or whether they are just in it for the money.
ReplyDeletelink:
http://people.bridgewater.edu/~rpuffenb/Courses/Biol309/Sophia/cartoon.jpg
I do remember seeing the new episodes of Grey's Anatomy where Miranda Bailey desperately wants the hospital that she works at to give her funds to allow genome mapping of certain patients. At first, most if not all of the doctors who work with her at the hospital pay little attention to her efforts. But once she finally gains the funds from the hospital to create a gene mapping project, a lot more people start to pay attention to her ideas and project, and all the benefits a person can get from it. One of the other main characters wants Miranda Bailey to then map her genome, and find out if she does or does not carry the gene that her mother carried for early onset Alzheimer's. It was controversial, and in the end we find that she does in fact carry the gene. But Miranda explains that it is not a guarantee that she would then get Alzheimer's early on like her mother did.
ReplyDeleteI think the show did a good job in showing the benefits of gene mapping.
In general, cartoonstock.com has a lot of really funny comics related to the topic of genomics. The link below is a really funny depiction of isolating genes within the human genome for specific causes. What I like about the following clip is that it kind of makes fun of the fact that a lot of chronic diseases have been isolated to coming from one of two genes, however the genes themselves can be vastly different, and despite narrowing down the gene responsible for an increased predisposition to a disease or illness, the specific genes themselves are for the most part still unknown, and the interrelationships between these genes and that causes of disease are also unknown.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoonview.asp?catref=gra060224
What I like about the cartoons related to genomics on cartoonstock.com is that they poke fun at the huge emphasis placed on the very specific details involved in genome mapping indicating that other factors factors are largely ignored by the public. These cartoons kind of high light how little the average person actually knows about genomics, and how important it is for the public to gain a better understanding of all of the different components that are involved in genomics.
Check out this game! http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/dna_double_helix/
ReplyDeleteThe game starts with an educational introduction.
Then, the point of the game is to copy DNA and match the nucleotides to build the DNA. Afterwards, you get to match it with an organism. The game has 3 organisms to match. And it's educational throughout too!
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or tips for new aspiring bloggers. Appreciate it!
My homepage ... Mario Lemieux Black Jersey
I think its interesting that they are using a video game to map out originis of certain diseases like Alzheimer's.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/12/online-video-game-helps-to-solve-genetic-origins-of-disease/249899/
I definitely think that genetics has gotten a lot of attention in the media. I know that paternity tests have always been popular in shows like Maury, but I think that its even more popular now in soap operas and such.
I found vadlo has a large collection of cartoons related to genomics at this link:
ReplyDeletehttp://vadlo.com/cartoons.php?id=1
I also found a video on you tube about a video game used to simulate genetic engineering
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXIscjtsN7w
There were many media outlets which cover genomics. It has evolved from the daytime talk shows which covers people who just want to know who their child's parents and are seeking paternity tests to video games simulating genetic engineering and a much better public understanding of the whole field of genomics as opposed to small aspects.
Genomics related ideas are incorporated into a lot of themes on TV shows. Whether crime shows like law and order using tests to identify DNA or paternity, or medical shows like House and Greys Anatomy covering genetic diseases. Some get a little more creative, like this clip from spiderman talking about how to genetically induce certain traits into the human genome and cross-species genetics : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbhsayzxNoQ
ReplyDeleteRecently there have been more and more references to genomics in pop culture as genetic tests have become readily available. In February, Vanessa Williams had her ancestry traced through a mail order genetic test. This was in response to her appearance on the TV show "Who do you think you are?" After the show, Williams travelled to Africa where she became more curious about her ancestry. She soon was asked to be a spokeswoman for Ancestry.com's new DNA test feature.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/17/vanessa-williams-ancestry-mail-order-dna-test_n_2698112.html
Another example of Genomics in the media is found in another episode of Grey's Anatomy, titled "Let it be". In this episode, the main characters are all divided about what a patient should do concerning her positive test for the BRCA gene. It resembles the discussion we had in lecture about genetic counseling and the decisions that follow receiving a genetic test result.
ReplyDeletehttp://abc.go.com/shows/greys-anatomy/episode-detail/let-it-be/89710
http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/entertainment-Greys
I enjoy learning about infectious diseases and found the movie "Contagion" to be really interesting. The movie was about a virus that had been able to change its form between species to get people sick. SImilar to the avian and the swine flu outbreaks. Although, this movie does not directly pertain to genomics, it does have to do with the possibility of a deadly disease outbreak and how the US would handle such a situation. Plus, Matt Damon and Jude Law are not too bad on the eyes :) Here is the last scene of the movie which shows how the virus was spread. Spoiler Alert.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eAY7n0xu18
I always enjoyed watching CSI. A character that immediately came to mind when I read this prompt was Raymond (Ray) Langston. This character was born in South Korea and his father was an American soldier fighting in the Korean War. Upon return to the US, his father became an abusive alcoholic. Ray fell victim to his abuse. In one of the episodes, Ray is frightened that he may have inherited his father’s violent characteristics.
ReplyDeleteLater in the season, Ray discovers that like his father her carries the MAO-A genes, a gene said to cause a predisposition for violence. I’ve always found this an interesting concept because I’ve always considered one’s actions a choice. But in this show, it is really called into question how much of our choices are consciously made and how many are controlled by our genetics. This case is particularly interesting because it combines the nature of the MAO-A gene, as well as environmental factors like the abuse Ray suffered. Additionally, it is interesting that Ray is in crime investigation when he is said to have this violent gene. This really encompasses many of the concepts we’ve discussed such as family history, gene expression, and the interaction between genetics and environment.
http://csi.wikia.com/wiki/Raymond_Langston
In the TV series House, one of the the members of the diagnostic team nicknamed "Thirteen" reveals that her mother had Huntington's disease. She performs a test on herself revealing that she has the gene.
ReplyDeleteThis is the Wikipedia page for her character
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen_(House)
Another site states: "In House M.D., House orders Thirteen to take the pre-symptomatic genetic blood test to determine whether or not she has the disease, since her mother had died from it. She objects because she would prefer to not know whether or not she actually has it, the reason being that not knowing gives her the ability to summon up the confidence to do things that she wouldn't normally do. In the episode House's Head, Thirteen starts acting strangely and House quickly gets suspicious. In Wilson's Heart Thirteen takes the test; we see her sitting in a dark laboratory processing her test. The results for the test come out positive for the disease, and Thirteen then crumples up the results and walks away. Whether or not Thirteen actually looked at the results is unknown because the camera doesn't show her looking at them.
In Season Five, Thirteen will have to come to terms that she has this disease. Her fellow colleagues are also aware of her disease in Season Five, and Foreman does tests which reveal she doesn't have as much time left as they thought she did."
A quick clip collaborating her experience with the disease http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNLEHdErkVg
http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-features/53163-dna-fingerprint-could-identify-pirated-movies
ReplyDeleteThis link is to a site that explains how DNA fingerprinting could help identify pirated movies. It indirectly applies to genomics, but I thought it was very interesting how genomics techniques could be applied to areas other than direct DNA testing. Dr. Alex Bronstein of Tel Aviv claims to have a technique that will allows agents to distinguish videos that are pirated from those that are originals. This is done by setting a grid system up over the screen. Different elements in each frame are the analyzed and set into a number system similar to that doen in DNA fingerprinting. Scenes that are altered and colors that are changed can be tracked. The main connection between DNA and this concept is the coding and number system is related and has thus allowed this process to move forward.
http://clarksearch.com/pharmaceutical-recruitment-monthly-chuckle-dna-testing/
ReplyDeleteWhen I came upon this cartoon, I felt it was pretty relevant to some of our previous blogs and some of what we have learned in class, while adding some humor to it. It will be interesting to see if we will ever get to the point where a prospective employee's DNA will be tested before he or she is hired because as we know right now GINA prohibits this.
This article talks about the The Bourne Legacy, referencing its relative success in depicting genomics. The main character had genomic modifications to two chromosomes to improve his fighting abilities. On top of that, it seems that the movie makes use of something similar to what we've talked about with respects to pharmacogenomics, where the character takes special "biomeds" to further improve his skills.
ReplyDeletehttp://genomealberta.ca/blogs/genomic-science-goes-to-hollywood.aspx
I haven't seen the movie, but this makes me want to check it out!
Another franchise that takes on genomics and genetic alterations, is the Resident Evil series of movies, video games, comics, etc. Essentially, a genetically engineered T-virus created by the Umbrella Corp warps the genome and turns humans into zombies, instigating worldwide disaster.
In an episode of the popular medical drama, House M.D., a patient with an obscure genetic disease is featured. This disease is called CIPA, congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. The teenage girl has a genetic mutation where she is unable to feel any nerve sensation such as pain, heat, or cold. The girl is Dr. House's patient after she experienced a car accident. The problem is, she cannot tell if she is in pain, and thus, Dr. House's job of locating any trauma from the accident becomes a difficult challenge. In typical dramatic television fashion, Dr. House orders a slew of tests and finally, after multiple guesses, diagnoses the patient of having a B12 deficiency because a tapeworm has been utilizing all of her nutrients.
ReplyDeleteHighlighting this obscure genetic disease does highlight genomics, however, it does so in a very dramatic way with a very intriguing disease. Although information about genetics is not discussed in depth, it still makes the audience aware of the impact our genes have. Here is a link to the promo of this exciting episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9cb3BYLi8A
Everyone knows the story of Beauty and the Beast, but the concept was recently reworked for a TV series that premiered this past fall. Instead of a curse, the "beast" became a beast because he was part of a genetic experiment, where his DNA was combined with animal DNA in order to create a group of super soldiers. It's a super corny concept but revolves around the idea of "cross-species" DNA experimentation. Although it's a bit of an outlandish concept, advances in genetic experimentation aren't so far off. In fact, Discovery highlights (out of 10 controversial genetic experiments) two instances where there has been some "Human- Animal Hybrid Research", such as the Mayo Clinic's successful experiments wherein they engineered pigs that had human blood. And although we aren't creating human animal hybrids, we are experimenting with the use of animals to produce better medical "products" for human surgeries.
ReplyDeletehttp://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/curiosity/topics/10-controversial-genetic-experiments.htm
I currently work as a nanny for a very inquisitive 6 year old boy. Both of his parents are doctors, so as on could anticipate, he is inherently drawn to scientific inquiry! He often asks questions like, "What makes up the cells, that make all living things?" I often find it difficult to appease his curiosity and answer his question in a manner that a young child could understand. After many failed to attempts to answer these questions, I went online to find an interactive game which could offer a tangible presentation of DNA. My search for such a toy uncovered a game inspired by the hit show CSI, which portrays forensic scientists in the process of solving crimes! While the boy is too young to watch this show, he enjoyed the hands on scientific method! I think that the next science toy will be a mock blood typing kit!
ReplyDeleteHere is the link to toy I purchased:
http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Toys-CSI-DNA-Lab/dp/B0002L9IWI
Here is a link to the video breakdown of the toy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbLDwNG93e8
There are many cartoons that are related to genetics in general. This particular cartoon depicts genetically modified food in a slightly humorous way. Genetically modified foods are derived from genetically modified crops grown by farmers. It can occur through selective breeding or changing the DNA through various genetic engineering techniques. In this cartoon, the character is happy because he believes he has genetically modified cabbage to taste like ice-cream. He later finds out that "ice cream doesn't have genes" so his plan did not work out.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is funny and not completely realistic, it does depict the idea that more foods are becoming genetically modified everyday.
http://www.cartoonistgroup.com/store/add.php?iid=60675
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe novel by Jodi Picoult My Sister's Keeper (also a movie) is about a young girl named Anna, who was born via in vitro fertilization for purposes of being a "saviour". The process is called Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis; geneticists ensured that Anna would be a genetic match for her sister Kate, who has leukemia. It was intended to repopulate Kate's bone marrow, using umbilical cord blood. However, the cycle of operations and hospital visits continued throughout both Anna and Kate's childhood. In real cases, only the umbilical cord blood has been donated, not the numerous unchosen, unethical procedures. However, it poses the question is this is in our future?
ReplyDeleteWill Smith is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of a virus that's incurable and man-made. Will Smith, immune to the disease, is now the last human survivor in post-apocalyptic New York City and perhaps the world. He was immune to the disease because of his genetic makeup. Mutant victims of the plague are still lurking around the city and he has been in his lab for three years trying to make a cure with his blood. This movie was a great movie depicting the failure of a woman's supposed "cure" for the disease.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480249/
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFood Politics (http://www.foodpolitics.com) is a blog written by Marion Nestle. Dr. Nestle is a prominent member in her field; you might have heard her speak before on NPR, special guest on news station, Today Show, etc. Her blog explores how the food industry affects health and nutrition. She also has a knack for genomics and has many articles that combine all three themes: food, politics, genomics. Here is an example of a genomic-related issue from a recent post:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.foodpolitics.com/2013/04/fda-vs-ewg-report-on-antibiotic-resistant-superbugs-in-meat-oversimplified-misleading/
http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/g/genes.asp
ReplyDeleteAll of these cartoons poke fun at the genome project and what it has to offer. Some of the cartoons depicted how gullible we are for funding a project that has made little to no effects furthering our understanding of the human genome. It also poked fun at the DTC sites where anxiety and stress is created from findings found.
The Osbourne Identity
ReplyDeleteOzzy Osbourne had his entire genome sequenced by Knome Genetics in 2010; mutations in the drug and alcohol processing genes are said to have contributed to his long life of partying. Also, traces of neanderthal lineage were discovered. Ozzy is currently 64. Excerpt below:
"I was curious ... given the swimming pools of booze I've guzzled over the years -- not to mention all of the cocaine, morphine, sleeping pills, cough syrup, LSD, Rohypnol ... you name it -- there's really no plausible medical reason why I should still be alive. Maybe my DNA could say why," he wrote in his column.
Not surprisingly, the most notable differences in Osbourne's genes had to do with how he processes drugs and alcohol. Genes connected to addiction, alcoholism and the absorption of marijuana, opiates and methamphetamines all had unique variations in Osbourne, a few of which Knome geneticists had never seen before."
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/genetic-mutations-ozzy-osbourne-party-hard/story?id=12032552#.UYKd_Y6hDHg
In the TV show, Elementary, Sherlock Holmes and Joan Watson help the police in NYC solve crimes. In the 17th episode of this first season, the case focuses on the ability to give someone a hereditary disease. A wealthy man believes he is given a rare genetic disorder, CAA, which causes dementia. Other wealthy men with no family history also appear to have the disease. Holmes and Watson visit a genetics lab in order to find out who could actually give someone the disease. Other people connected to the case are murdered, but in the end a falsified DNA test is proven wrong and the lead geneticist who has the disease is caught. He wanted to the wealthy men to give money to search for a cure because he also had the rare disease.
ReplyDeleteThe full episode if no longer on cbs.com, but it can be purchased on itunes or amazon.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2697934/synopsis?ref_=tt_stry_pl
First of all, I think it is really funny how when Googling “genomics cartoons” our blog Let’s Talk About Genomics (TAG) comes up as a result on the very first page! I found two videos on YouTube that are visually intriguing and do a good job at relating to our course on genomics. The first video is entitled “How Mendel's pea plants helped us understand genetics.” This video incorporates many of the vocabulary terms we learned in the first part of the course, and helps students to better understand family history and autosomal dominance/recessive traits. The second video, called “The Story of You: ENCODE and the human genome” our past genetic history, the Human Genome Project, and the future of where that research is heading. Specifically, it explains a more recent endeavor, named “ENCODE.” This project is attempting to show how genetic disorders happen in the first place, so that one day, they can be prevented.
ReplyDeleteVideo #1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mehz7tCxjSE
Video #2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwXXgEz9o4w
In the movie: The Island, it focuses on the ethical dilemmas of the clonning process. A scientist creates clones and then they arise to life, but he has broken the Eugenics Law of 2015. The made up law requires that clones never achieve humanity. They discover that the genetic materials contains memory of lived experiences, that will follow on from generation to generation.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.literatureandgenetics.org/viewwork.php?id=48
I also found a picture of a funny carton saying to someone else: Do these genes make me look fat? I found this related to our discussion in class of genes such as FTO that may make one more suspectible to becoming overweight and eating more. The cartoon makes us wonder what exactly is responsible for making us fat? Our genes, our environment, or both?
http://www.toonpool.com/user/1026/files/dangerous_question_1_409905.jpg
ReplyDeletehttp://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/labs/pcr/
This is a site I found as I was studying for the first midterm. It is a site made by the University of Utah and has a ton of educational games that help viewers gain a greater understanding on various genomics topics.
I have attached the link to the PCR virtual lab on the site. This exact resource was what helped me truly understand how various genomic related techniques truly work. PCR is used every day to diagnose diseases, identify things like bacteria and viruses, and help detectives match criminal to crime scenes. This virtual lab illustrates exactly how the process really works. As a visual learner, I found the whole site helpful and fun.
I also am a huge fan of Grey's Anatomy, so I figure I'll include another example of Genomics in the media, as the website above is simply a resource I think future students should take a look at!
In the Grey's Anatomy episode "I will follow you into the Dark" three siblings struggle face the decision about whether or not to have a prophylactic gastrectomy after testing positive for a genetic mutation that leads to gastric cancer. These siblings have a 75% chance of getting the cancer due to their mutation.
http://greysanatomy.wikia.com/wiki/I_Will_Follow_You_Into_the_Dark
There are a lot of different crime shows on television today that use genetics and different testing methods to match DNA. For example, CSI and Cold Case always show scenes of detectives collected DNA evidence and show the technology that is used to sequence the DNA of different suspects. These shows also use forensics to analyze victims of the crimes.
ReplyDeleteRight now, i am really into the show Criminal Minds, which depicts the work of the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI. The BAU is called in by other police departments to solve specifically challenging crimes. This show uses a combination of profiling and genetics to understand the reasons for the suspects' criminal behavior.
I got an opportunity Thursday night to watch a free showing of Iron Man 3! There was a good chunk of the movie where they were explaining to each other what the goal was: to hack into the hard drive of any living organism and change it's DNA. But of course it led to a disaster with people and plants exploding.
ReplyDeleteReally good movie. I recommend it.
This blog post automatically reminded me of the Disney D-Com original movie, "The Other Me". In it, the main character, a 7th grade old boy named Will Browning, orders a science project called "Ocean Pups". In the manufacturing company, two scientists have created a cloning solution named "hyper-cloning". Some of this cloning solution is accidentally spilled into the science project kit before being shipped to Will Browning's house. When Will does the experiment, he uses a comb containing DNA from his hair particles to mix the solution and accidentally creates a clone of himself.
ReplyDeleteThough the cloning techniques are vaguely explained and rather simple, it is still interesting to see that a kids movie from the year 2000 would incorporate genomics at all. It shows that genomics is becoming more mainstream and common enough to the point where we expect kids to understand and accept it. With 13 years of research that has gone by since the release of the movie, it is no surprise that genomics is seen more frequently in the media.
Link (wikipedia page of the movie):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Other_Me
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On Lopez Tonight, Snoop Dogg is given a DNA test to discover and compare his origins to Charles Barkley. They break down his background by giving percentages. It was a funny clip. There are a bunch of clips from his show where he gives celebrities DNA tests.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exz0yNdvksg
There is also another cartoon clip about Homer Simpson's evolution from a single cell to a modern day human.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faRlFsYmkeY
This clip from Lopez Tonight shows Charles Barkley using a cotton swab for the DNA test (shows the process) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf9befFNy6g
DeleteIn the show Grey’s Anatomy, there are a number of times that genomics come into play. One of my favorite episodes that I remember is when the surgeons are operating on a family that got in a car accident and they find during surgery that one child has malignant hypothermia. This is a rare and life threatening condition that is usually triggered by exposure to chemicals that are used for anesthesia. A person with this condition will lose their ability to control their metabolism and their body temperature. The biggest problem with this condition is the ability to diagnose it quickly enough in patients because there is a very small window of opportunity for treatment before cardiac arrest occurs. Malignant hypothermia is inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder, and when one member of the family was found to have this condition, Meredith had to make sure that the other family members would be able to survive surgery. This was a very cool episode that showed the importance of genomics and family history in health care treatment.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite show “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” has plenty of examples of genomics. One of the ones that come to mind is in the episode ‘Inheritance’ where Benson and Stabler look for a rapist targeting Asian women. In the end, the rapist claims that he had to be a rapist because his dad was also a rapist and he had inherited the ‘violence gene’ from him.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hulu.com/watch/159214#i0,p4,s3,d0
Another episode that came to mind was ‘Families’ where a pregnant girl is found murdered. Benson and Stabler initially thought she had been raped by her music teacher but after investigation and DNA sequencing, they found out that the unborn baby’s genes were more than 50% the murdered girls, so there had been incest.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/159264#i0,p12,s5,d0
There was an episode of CSI:Miami a few years ago called "Born to Kill" that involved a suspect with an extra Y chromosome, which was referred to as "the killer gene." There were a bunch of murders that were occurring and this man was a suspect not only because of his extra Y chromosome but because he had been suspected of murdering his younger sister when they were children. It is important to mention that the show made a point of saying that having an extra Y chromosome did not predict that someone will eventually kill, but because he was raised to believe that he was evil and predisposed to this fate, he saw himself as a future killer. Turns out he did not commit the murder in question, although he had confessed to other crimes. As of now there is no evidence that having a XYY chromosome leads directly to violence or criminal behavior.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThis is a trailer about a movie called Gattaca, society has categorized Vincent Freeman as less than suitable given his genetic make-up and he has become one of the underclass of humans that are only useful for menial jobs. Vincent is one of the last "natural" babies born into a sterile, genetically-enhanced world, where life expectancy and disease likelihood are ascertained at birth. Myopic and due to die at 30, he has no chance of a career in a society that now discriminates against your genes, instead of your gender, race or religion. This movie is very related to genomics that it talks about DNA and how it determines where you should work, who you should marry, what you’re capable of achieving. Where society’s success is determined by science. A man’s chance to survive is to borrow someone else’s identity where he can’t hide because every part of his body can be trailed just like ours.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZppWok6SX88
Since I just noticed Jeremy had the same movie in mind here's another example:
This is about Captain America: The First Avenger where a 'supersoldier' serum and 'vita radiation' was used to transform a skinny Steve Rogers to a hunky Captain America. This movie involves the use of human enhancement technology to make human beings into weapons. As discusses in class this was a way to create a perfect proportioned human body whether it be by exercises, diet, supplements, drugs, surgery and hormone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk2b0rIwjy8
This article is about how lab technicians or anyone who wants to sequence DNA can with this development of a new online game called Phylo that is similar to tetris. The makers of the game wanted to make a way that researchers and game players could have fun while helping align DNA, RNA and protein sequences! I remember reading this and thinking it was a really cool and innovative idea that adds fun to rather dry tasks. It also allows multiple minds to be at work cracking DNA codes. "Since the game launched in 2010, the makers of Phylo have gathered more than 350,000 solutions to alignment sequence problems from its 17,000 users. As a result, researchers now understand the regulation of 521 genes that could affect a variety of diseases including Alzheimer, diabetes, and cancer." This is a large impact that could definitely have positive impacts in our future.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.biotechniques.com/news/Sequence-Alignment-for-Gamers/biotechniques-325175.html
These examples may be a bit far-fetched, but they do focus on genetic mutations. Many life-altering diseases are a result of mutations and polymorphisms. In comic books, TV cartoons, and movies, many classic superheroes and villains undergo gene mutations due to experiments gone wrong. For example, Spiderman was bitten by a radioactive and genetically engineered spider that altered his DNA and resulted in new abilities. His senses are sharpened and he is able to climb walls. The following link provides some possible scientific explanations for his abilities.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man's_powers_and_equipment
Many of the villains in the show were scientists who also experienced lab accidents that altered their genetic makeup. In the cartoon, and in the most recent Spiderman movie, a scientists combines his DNA with the DNA of a reptile and becomes a creature that is the combination of the two species.
In X-men, many of the main characters are called "mutants". This indicates that their DNA is different from humans. These mutants have special abilities due to the differences in their DNA and genes. Many of the mutants are born that way, but a few are created. Wolverine, for example, had his genes and body altered by scientists so that he became a mutant. While genetic mutations or polymorphisms may not give us special abilities or super powers, they can still have a huge impact on our lives.
I couldn't find the clip, but here's someone writing about it. In House, M.D. one of the cases focused on hemochromatosis. Absorbing too much iron (through one's diet) can eventually lead to cancers, and genes are thought to be a contributing factor.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wellsphere.com/genetics-article/genetics-on-tv-ldquo-house-rdquo-does-hemochromatosis/889014
ReplyDeleteThere is an episode of Law and Order:SVU called Double Strands in which a man is convicted of multiple rapes and even with DNA evidence keeps insisting he is innocent.Later in the episode it turns out he has a twin brother whom he never knew about that set him up and framed him for the rapes. The two twins were separated at birth and the one that committed the rapes was the only one who knew about his twin's existence. While the likelihood of a situation like this happening in real life is rare it brings up an important discussion of relying on DNA evidence when there is a twin involved. Moreover, what are some ways to distinguish between the two besides DNA.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tvfanatic.com/shows/law-and-order-svu/episodes/season-13/double-strands/
YES. SVU for the win!
DeleteA film was recently released on April 4th (2013) called "Decoding Annie Parker." This film is based on the true story of a girl named Annie Parker who had family members who died of Breast Cancer and is diagnosed with Breast Cancer as well. The movie also very nicely ties in the discovery of the BRCA1 genes, and the individual who was the first to discover it: Mary-Claire King. I found this interesting and very relevant to what we had learned in class regarding the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes linking to Breast Cancer as well as our discussion about Myriad Genetics. Unlike a documentary though, this film actually has some pretty well-known Hollywood Actors and Actresses featured in it so I thought I would share in case anybody is interested in watching it! Here is the link to the website that contains more information such as the storyline of the film, the history/discovery of the BRCA1 gene, and also a 'behind the scenes' trailer. Enjoy!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.decodingannieparkerfilm.com
In a popular anime known as Naruto, there are ninja abilities/techniques that are passed down genetically within a specific clan, called kekkei genkais. These abilities can also be passed through DNA remodification by inserting the genetic sequence into the person's DNA who would otherwise never obtain it. These abilities are special because you can never learn these abilities by practicing them. Instead, they are in your blood, so this gives you an advantage over other people because these abilities are so special and specific to the individual.
ReplyDeletehttp://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Kekkei_Genkai
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You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually something that I think I would never
ReplyDeleteunderstand. It seems too complicated and very broad for me.
I'm looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!
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