a) Vaccines.
Your friend is worried about the many vaccines that his newborn son is scheduled to receive and asks you for advice since you are taking a biology course. Start with an explanation of how vaccines work.
Briefly contrast the traditional methods used to create vaccines with more recently used biotechnology techniques, including the COVID 19 mRNA vaccines.
Explain how the mRNA vaccines work based on your knowledge of the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology. What are some of the diseases that infants and children in the US are routinely vaccinated against?
How have vaccinations impacted the frequency of these diseases over the past 100 years? Why are some people worried about giving their children vaccines? Why do some people believe that the MRR vaccine can cause autism? Is there scientific evidence to support these concerns?
Conclude with advice to your friend in regard to getting the recommended vaccines based on what you learned from reliable information sources.
b) Personal Genomics.
Services like 23andMe and Ancestry have made it possible – even popular – for the average person to obtain in-depth information about their genome, including details like food allergies, drug sensitivities, and disease risks.
There are even add-on sites that will take this information and generate elaborate reports, such as Promethease.
Describe how this data is obtained, and what it actually includes. Start your explanation with a basic description of DNA and how genes control our traits (the Central Dogma). Use information from the course readings, at least one service provider (e.g., 23&Me, Ancestry), and additional information resources.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this easy, rapid, and affordable access to genomic data? What are the social implications, in terms of benefits and risks?
Is Genome Privacy a potential issue, and if so, how? If you, or someone you know, have had your own genome analyzed, discuss the thought process that led you (or them) to do so, and share how you felt when you found your results. If you haven’t, discuss why or why you would not want to have this information.
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