Linkage Analysis Essay

In recent discussions of genetic testing, a controversial issue has been whether genetic testing is effective in helping find cure of some diseases. On the one hand, some argue that genetic testing helps us detect genetically passed diseases from parents to children. . On the other hand, however, others argue that genetic testing costs a lot of money is sometimes is not effective in finding diseases. In sum, then, the issue is whether genetic testing is effective and worth the cost to find a genetically past disease. While some believe that genetic testing costs alot of money and should never be done unless necessary, genetic testing is beneficial in many ways for detecting genetically pasted diseases from parents to children.

Human Genome Project The Human Genome Project is an international project basically sponsored by the U.S Government. It started in October 1990 with an aim to sequence the entire human genome. The complete set of information present in the form of the genes in an organism forms its genome. Each human being has 23 pairs of chromosomes having DNA double helix in each.

Genetics can help answer questions about our traits and why we look different and advance in different ways from each other in the world. Chapter 1 explains the basics about how genes work, and the portrayal of DNA and RNA. Chapter 2 describes RNA more in detail and it consist of the explanation of the human genome. Specifically, Chapter 3 clarifies how evolution works and how it relates to genetic and medical research. Furthermore, Chapter 4 and 5 explains the knowledge researchers have about genes role in health and diseases, and how society is affected with the advances in medicine and science given approximate credit to these researchers.

The recently completed human genome sequence has greatly assisted the detection of QTLs and polymorphisms (2). It must also be emphasized that genes do not directly dictate action, but rather are mediated by the proteins that they code for. It is necessary to examine not only the genes but also the assortment of proteins responsible for expression of particular traits (3)It is anticipated that detailed analysis of the human genome will contribute to understandings about gene organization and transcription, and hence regulatory elements that control expression. By utilizing genomic and proteomic tools, the relationship between gene/protein and behavior may be more accurately described.

The human genome project is a way of inspecting our molecular selves. There are three billions of letters that make up the DNA in the human genome that scientists have to study in order to understand our molecular cells. Furthermore, there are all distinct sets of genes that interact with environmental factors, which directly influence things like our physical appearance, personalities and risks for diseases. Geneticist, Jeffery C. Long “None of the observable traits that people associate with race are simple genetic traits. Complex traits are influenced by several genes as well as environment.” -Long, Jeffery C. "RACE - Exploring Our Molecular Selves." RACE - Exploring Our Molecular Selves. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2015.

The propensity for specific disease processes are found when analyzing a client’s family tree history. Typically, completing a genogram with at least three generations can show which disease processes show a pattern in a specific family tree. As figure 1 shows, the current generation has a predisposition for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. The history complied spans four generations, with three generations on the paternal side, father, grandfather, grandmother, and great-grandfather, contracting heart disease, either suffering from a heart attack, having high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. On the maternal side, there is little information past the second generation. However,

The Human Genome Project, also known as HGP has helped our society crack the code in the small differences between human DNA that make up our health and can already pinpoint future illnesses. HPG was an international joint research preparation with the goal of mapping and trying to understand all the human genes sequences through generations. Researchers have been able to decode our genomes and understand them in three different ways. First off they have been able to see that our genome’s DNA has a certain order, and that order helps make up who we are; Secondly they are able to map where certain genes are and where they are located on the chromosomes. And third, being able to produce “linkage maps” that can help track inherited traits

relatively rare single-gene or chromosomal disorders. But as result of advances in molecular medicine, genetics is now able to provide information about more common and accordingly more costly diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and coronary artery disease. It is the predictive ability of genetic tests for these diseases that makes them especially intriguing in adopting a preventive medicine approach and reducing overall healthcare expenditures.

Completing this genogram proved to be much harder than expected. This is because my most of my family members do not work any longer and those who do work do not have formal careers; so much as they have temporary jobs. The lack of careers is due to a lack of higher education in my family history. Higher education was not much of an option for my parents and grandparents. In fact, my sister and I are the only members of my family to hold a degree higher than an Associate’s Degree on my mother’s side of the family.

After examining my family’s health genome, I am able to identify strengths and weaknesses of my family’s health. For strengths, my mother’s side has little to no health conditions or concerns. Also, neither side has had a history of cancer. However, there are some weaknesses in my family health tree. My biggest concern for my immediate family, and my dad’s side is hypertension and heart disease. Even though this may just be due to lifestyle factors, I think there may be a genetic factor involved as well. This is because hypertension appears in both my aunt and dad.

Please read Rana et al. (1999). You may also find parts of chapter 6 in your textbook helpful. Then answer the following questions. You will also use some datasets to conduct your own analyses.

While many diseases and viruses are caused by outside sources, some diseases occur from within the human body. Regular ailments can be cured with medicine, or fought off overtime by getting a vaccine, but certain diseases and anomalies cannot be directly treated. This is because they are genetically inherited by certain parts of one’s DNA. DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid, and is inherited from the parents of a person. These strands, found within the nucleus of all cells, determine the appearance and genetic structure of a person. Through one’s DNA, there may be diseases inherited from the parents, such as sickle cell anemia, Gaucher’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. In order to heal and fix patients, doctors needed to learn more about the Human Genome. In 1990 work began on the Human Genome Project, which would map the entirety of the genes in the human species. However, the participants would not have been able to work without the discoveries made by those before them.

The Human Genome Project (HGP), an international scientific research project, has educated the public tremendously on various topics concerning DNA and genetics. This study has been beneficial to communities alike. As stated, the HGP sought to identify all the genes in human DNA, determine the sequences of the three billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA, store this information in databases, improve tools for data analysis, transfer related technologies to the private sector, and address the ethical, legal, and social issues that may arise from the project. In favor of achieving these goals, scientists studied the genetic makeup of several nonhuman organisms (Human Genome Management Information System, 2011).

Human DNA is composed of roughly 30,000 genes composed of around 3 million base pairs and 99% of these are universally identical for everyone meaning they cannot be the source of personality differences in people. This suggests that the remaining genes are genetic mutations or polymorphisms, which have an influence on personality, and the biological approach uses three main methods to try and determine what % of individual differences in a trait can be attributed to genes and what % is a response to the environment. Family studies are a commonly used method as they correlate the degree of genetic overlap between family members with the degree of similarity in personality traits. In personality research they are generally used to

The Human Genome Project basically was a research program that worked on a goal to get an image of human genome and get a better understanding of all a human beings genes. DNA is founded on 4 chemical bases, they turn into twisted ladder shaped DNA molecules. And all the the four bases are what create the genes just placed in different ways and different lengths. One revelation of the human genome project was when they learned that there are about 20,500 genes. The Human Genome Project brought many scientist together around the world and each one was an important factor for the project. It was a publicly funded organization and got funds and support from the Department of Energy and US National Institutes of Health