a. Mutations and Genetic Disease

• Students will perform research on a chosen or assigned genetic disease, and present that research. The presentation can be in the form of a poster, brochure, newsletter, PowerPoint presentation, or written report as decided by the teacher. Students will identify symptoms of the disease, chromosomal abnormality causing the disease, inheritance pattern, diagnosis, organizations, therapies, history, and current research.

b. Simulating Electrophoresis: Breast Cancer Genes

• This is a dry lab that can be used to familiarize students with the electrophoresis process, either in place of Lab 18c if electrophoresis equipment is not available, or as a preview to allow students to have a better understanding of electrophoresis before they perform it. Students simulate electrophoresis analysis for a family that is trying to determine if the daughter has inherited the mutated BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 gene, which predisposes them to hereditary breast cancer.

c. Electrophoresis: Diagnosing PKD

• The students will be testing a family for the gene that causes polycystic kidney disease (PKD). The father has been diagnosed with PKD, and the HASPI Genetic Horizons Lab has been asked to determine whether any of the three children have inherited the gene. There are two versions, one for sites that will be using the Invitrogen E-gel System and one for sites that may be using their own equipment.

Items included in this lab are listed below.

Rulers, Microcentrifuge tubes, Student packet.