Basics of Human Genetics
Welcome! I am so excited to dive into the world of human genetics with you. It is a truly fascinating field that explains everything from why you look the way you do to how our bodies fight off illnesses. Before we map out our journey, I would love to learn a bit more about you so I can make this session as helpful and relevant as possible.
Could you tell me a little bit about your background in biology or genetics, and what specifically motivated you to learn about this topic today?
I have some high school biology background and want a solid refresher.
Your path
Principles of Inheritance
Genetic Variation and Disease
Modern Genetics and Society
Understanding Human Genetics
Let's start at the very beginning by defining what actually is. At its core, human genetics is the scientific study of how traits, features, and even susceptibility to certain diseases are passed down from one generation to the next through our DNA. It is the study of our biological blueprints.
To understand how these traits are passed down, we have to look at the molecule that stores all this information. Imagine your body is built from a massive library of instruction manuals. In this analogy, (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the specific language those manuals are written in. It is a long, winding molecule that holds the master code for building and maintaining every single cell in your body.