Human Genomics

This workshop focuses on the use of Nobel Prize winning technology, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), to analyze the genetic complement (genome) of humans. Participants perform experiments to identify several types of polymorphisms in their own DNA.

Mitochondrial (mt) DNA Haplotypes examines polymorphisms in the non-coding control region of mtDNA. Amplified mtDNA is sequenced at the CSHL Genome Sequencing Center and analyzed to answer the question, "Was Neanderthal our direct ancestor?"

Human Indel Polymorphism amplifies DNA from chromosome 16 to look for the presence of an inserted "jumping gene." Participants then use the DNALC's Allele and Simulation Server tools to explore human population genetics.

Variable Number Tandem Repeat (VNTR) Polymorphism examines a region on chromosome 1 that contains from 14-40 repeats of a 16 base pair DNA sequence. This type of polymorphism is used in forensic biology to identify individuals from material collected at crime scenes.

Human Taste Polymorphism is a new experiment that examines a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in a taste receptor gene that correlates with the ability to taste the bitter chemical phenylthiocarbamide (PTC). This experiment illustrates the relationship between SNP haplotypes and complex phenotypes.

Acceptance in the workshop is competitive and limited to 28 participants per session. Human Genomics is strictly limited to students who are entering 11th grade or higher, and have taken DNA Science or have a high level of training in the sciences (documentation required).

Tuition is $450 and includes all materials.