Difference between revisions of "Organization of genetics topics"

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Genetics is a vast, rapidly changing field.  There are connections to other diverse fields such as psychology, law, medicine, history, and teaching.  A classic way to divide genetics topics is into classical, molecular, and population genetics; however, I suspect this leaves out important areas.   
 
Genetics is a vast, rapidly changing field.  There are connections to other diverse fields such as psychology, law, medicine, history, and teaching.  A classic way to divide genetics topics is into classical, molecular, and population genetics; however, I suspect this leaves out important areas.   
  
The topics I would like an introductory genetics class to cover include:  
+
The topics I would like an introductory genetics class to cover (or at least touch on in an introductory sense) include:  
  
 
*quantitative genetics of complex traits and the regression
 
*quantitative genetics of complex traits and the regression
*methods of genetic engineering and germ line transformation
 
*genetic tools such as binary expression systems, PCR, Sanger sequencing, next generation sequencing, restriction endonucleases, and plasmid engineering, FISH, probes, chip hybridization
 
*forward genetics and reverse genetics
 
*personal genomics
 
*introductory developmental genetics
 
*the history of eugenics and laws regarding genetic data
 
*genetic pest management and selfish genes
 
*medical and cancer genetics
 
*genetic anthropology
 
 
*inbreeding and population structure
 
*inbreeding and population structure
 
*average heterozygosity and effective population size, the coalescent
 
*average heterozygosity and effective population size, the coalescent
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*selection and genetic drift
 
*selection and genetic drift
 
*gene evolution and gene families
 
*gene evolution and gene families
 
 
*comparison of model organisms and viral versus bacterial versus eukaryotic genetics
 
*comparison of model organisms and viral versus bacterial versus eukaryotic genetics
 +
 
*classical genetics
 
*classical genetics
 
**Mendelian Inheritance and Punnet squares
 
**Mendelian Inheritance and Punnet squares
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**genome structure and organization
 
**genome structure and organization
 
**types of mutations and their effects
 
**types of mutations and their effects
**transposable elements
+
**transposable elements and other forms of selfish genes
 
**genotype/phenotype association tests
 
**genotype/phenotype association tests
 +
**methods of genetic engineering and germ line transformation
 +
**genetic tools such as binary expression systems, PCR, Sanger sequencing, next generation sequencing, restriction endonucleases, and plasmid engineering, FISH, probes, chip hybridization
 +
**forward genetics and reverse genetics
 +
*population genetics
 +
*quantitative genetics
 +
*evolutionary
 
*supporting statistical logic
 
*supporting statistical logic
 
**probability rules
 
**probability rules
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**the chi-square test and degrees of freedom
 
**the chi-square test and degrees of freedom
 
**linear regression
 
**linear regression
 +
*interdisciplinary
 +
**the history of eugenics and current laws regarding genetic data
 +
**GMO crops including examples, methods, ethics, and economics
 +
**genetic pest management
 +
**medical and cancer genetics
 +
**personal genomics
 +
**developmental genetics
 +
**genetic anthropology

Revision as of 12:39, 22 August 2014

I am interested in what people thin the best organization of genetics topics might be.

Genetics is a vast, rapidly changing field. There are connections to other diverse fields such as psychology, law, medicine, history, and teaching. A classic way to divide genetics topics is into classical, molecular, and population genetics; however, I suspect this leaves out important areas.

The topics I would like an introductory genetics class to cover (or at least touch on in an introductory sense) include:

  • quantitative genetics of complex traits and the regression
  • inbreeding and population structure
  • average heterozygosity and effective population size, the coalescent
  • X-inactivation, imprinting and epigenetics
  • species phylogeny
  • selection and genetic drift
  • gene evolution and gene families
  • comparison of model organisms and viral versus bacterial versus eukaryotic genetics
  • classical genetics
    • Mendelian Inheritance and Punnet squares
    • Complementation tests
    • Genetic linkage and recombination
    • Punnet squares and epistasis
    • alleles and morphs
    • penetrance and expressivity
    • pedigree analysis
    • LOD scores
  • cytological genetics
    • chromosomes, mitosis and meiosis, nondisjunction, aneuploidy, polyploidy
    • sex chromosomes and sex determination systems
    • aneuploidy and polyploidy
    • distinction between the germ-line and the soma
  • molecular genetics
    • metabolic pathways, developmental pathways, and epistasis
    • gene structure, gene expression regulation, protein structure, and the central dogma
    • genome structure and organization
    • types of mutations and their effects
    • transposable elements and other forms of selfish genes
    • genotype/phenotype association tests
    • methods of genetic engineering and germ line transformation
    • genetic tools such as binary expression systems, PCR, Sanger sequencing, next generation sequencing, restriction endonucleases, and plasmid engineering, FISH, probes, chip hybridization
    • forward genetics and reverse genetics
  • population genetics
  • quantitative genetics
  • evolutionary
  • supporting statistical logic
    • probability rules
    • binomial distributions
    • normal distribution
    • Poisson distribution
    • the chi-square test and degrees of freedom
    • linear regression
  • interdisciplinary
    • the history of eugenics and current laws regarding genetic data
    • GMO crops including examples, methods, ethics, and economics
    • genetic pest management
    • medical and cancer genetics
    • personal genomics
    • developmental genetics
    • genetic anthropology