Genetics

The study of heredity and variation in organisms.

Resources in this category:

Albinism in Popular Culture
http://www.lunaeterna.net/popcult/

The website explores the history and mythology of albinism and highlights how it is perceived in popular culture. Includes references to albinism in film, literature, and public figures.

Blazing a Genetic Trail
http://www.hhmi.org/genetictrail/

This website from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute traces the process of uncovering the genes that cause human disease. Along the way, it provides some basic information about population genetics, the mechanisms of inheritance, and the Human Genome Project. The site is also available in Spanish.

The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online
http://darwin-online.org.uk/

Online source containing the works of Charles Darwin, including unpublished papers. Features a searchable index of the scientist’s publications, manuscripts, diaries, and notebooks as well as an extended biography. Supplemental materials include full-color illustrations of his research and MP3 audio files of selected readings from his texts. The collection is rounded-out by third-party writings on Darwin, such as critical reviews, obituaries, and reference works.

DNA From the Beginning
http://www.dnaftb.org/dnaftb/

This interactive site provides 40 simple lessons explaining the basics of classical genetics, the molecules of genetics, and genetic organization and control. "The science behind each concept is explained by: animation, image gallery, video interviews, problems, biographies, and links." (Flash and Quicktime installation is required for interactive features.)

DNA Interactive
http://www.dnai.org/index.htm

A more advanced resource from the team that produced DNA From the Beginning, this site explores the history of genetic science, explains the structure and function of DNA, describes the technology that allows DNA manipulation and its applications, and surveys the human genome. Also provides lesson plans and an online teaching community (free registration required for community features).

Electronic Scholarly Publishing: Classic Papers in Genetics
http://www.esp.org/

"This site is dedicated to the electronic publishing of scientific and other scholarly materials. Of particular interest are the history of science, genetics, computational biology, and genome research." Highlights of the site include full-text reproductions of classic papers and books in these fields, a chronology of genetics, and relevant links.

FlyBase
http://flybase.bio.indiana.edu/

A searchable database that provides extensive genetic information for the fruit fly, Drosophila. It provides various search engines for differing genetic tools such as genes, vectors, nucleotide sequences. It also includes a 73,000+ citation bibliography about Drosophilia and an address book of researchers as well as basic information on genes, gene products, genetic maps, genetic tools, and gene products related to Drosophila.

Genetic Science Learning Center
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/

This extensive primer on genetics and genetic technology includes lessons on the basics of genetics, genetic disorders, cloning, pharmacogenomics, and gene therapy. The site also provides virtual molecular genetics lab experiments, as well as protocols for at-home experiments and lesson plans for teachers.

Genetics Home Reference
http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/

This site from the National Library of Information provides "consumer information about genetic conditions and the genes or chromosomes responsible for those conditions." Content includes a basic handbook on genetics, genetic testing, and gene therapy; a database of information on genetic conditions (which can be searched or browsed); and resource links covering education, policy, and patient support.

The Genomic Revolution
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/genomics/0_home/index.html

This online exhibit from the American Museum of Natural History explores the revolution sparked by our ability to examine entire genomes, rather than just individual genes. The site provides information about the technology and techniques that allow scientists to sequence and alter the genomes of organisms, as well as the ethical challenges that arise from genome science.

Glossary of Genetic Terms
http://www.genome.gov/glossary.cfm

A searchable and browsable dictionary of genetic terms. Each entry includes a pronunciation guide, a short definition, a RealAudio explanation by an expert, and links to related terms. Some entries also contain illustrations.

The MendelWeb
http://www.mendelweb.org/

An educational resource about genetics, introductory data analysis, elementary plant science, and the history and literature of science. Includes a MOO, a glossary, and links to various scientific papers.

Molecular Genetics Primer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/About/primer/genetics_molecular....

This primer from the National Center for Biotechnology Information describes several of the basic techniques currently used in molecular genetics, including DNA and mRNA isolation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gel electrophoresis, DNA sequencing, chromosome analysis, and more.

NCBI Bioinformatics Factsheet
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/About/primer/bioinformatics.html

This factsheet from the National Center for Biotechnology Information explains the basic principles and applications of bioinformatics, the information science that supports modern research in genetics and molecular biology. The site briefly discusses the role of bioinformatics in evolutionary biology, protein modeling, and genome mapping, as well as describing a few of NCBI's bioinformatics tools.

Primer on Molecular Genetics
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/publicat/...

This web site provides an introduction to molecular genetics, including sections on the following topics: Mapping and Sequencing the Human Genome, Model Organism Research, Informatics: Data Collection and Interpretation, and the Impact of the Human Genome Project. A glossary with brief definitions of major terms is also included. Many illustrations are linked to the text.

Science Functional Genomics
http://www.sciencemag.org/feature/plus/sfg/

This site from Science Magazine serves as a starting point for scientists, researchers and laypersons interested in the science of genomics.