Reflection: Micro-plastics

 In class on September 27th, our class attended a live video chat with Joe Grabowski and Imogen Napper about the dangers of micro-plastics and how they affect our enjoyment, especially the oceans. We learned everything from who Imogen is and her works!

Brent Durand/Getty Images

Imogen Napper is a marine scientist who grew up in Bristol, England where she developed her love for the ocean. Her passion turned into her career and she started her journey as a plastic detective. Plastic is made out of a compound of hydrogen and carbon. Many things are made out of plastic because of durability and easy production, and this is where the problem is introduced, overproduction. Plastic is being used when not needed, like single-use plastics in our face washes and clothes, called micro-beads. Society today lives in what Imogen called a "throwaway living" style, where humans waste and reuse single plastics. 

She then went into her four areas of study, facial scrubs, clothes, biodegradable and compostable products, and ropes. Facial scrubs contained micro-plastics to help exfoliate and cleanse the skin, after explaining this she told us about her research. In the lab, she extracted the plastics from the scrubs to see the amounts that would be going into the environment. About three billion beads are in one bottle of facial scrub and ten thousand beads in one squirt. Imogen's discoveries lead to the ban of microbes in many products. Three years after the ban, she went back into the lab and tested the same scrubs again, to find nothing. Her second research was on washing clothes and the amount of plastic that comes out of the fabric each time. Her lab found that in every 6 kilograms of clothes, 700,000 micro-beads are released into the sewage and end up in the ocean. Her solution to this was to wash clothes less and get more wear out of them before carelessly throwing them in the hamper. Her third lab was with products that claim to be biodegradable, she took biodegradable grocery bags and ran different tests with each. One in direct sunlight, one planted in soil, and the other in the ocean. After 3 years, she found that all of the bags were still in bag shape/form, she was even able to carry a week's worth of her own groceries in one. The bag in the sunlight degraded the most, sunlight breaker up plastic into smaller pieces by targeting the chemical bonds. Her last main experiment was with ropes, and how as they get older, the more micro-plastics they are released. About 700 micro-plastics per meter for an old rope, and 20 per meter for a new. Her suggestion for this was to keep ropes out of the sun and replace them when they start to fray. As well as all of these experiments, she was able to partner up with National Geographic and study snow from Mount Everest. Within every letter of snow from just below the peak, there are 17 micro-plastics, proving that even in the most remote natural places, human-made problems are viewed. One of the last things she told us was that she and her team found that 3 billion micro-plastics enter the ocean every day, and how the smallest changes in everyday life make huge differences in the long run. 

I enjoyed this video chat maybe the most so far. Single-use plastics are something I am very passionate about and have been doing my part to reduce. I did a presentation last year on the Earth Day Committee about easy eco-friendly swaps to do in your home and now I am turning ocean pollution into my passion project and teaching younger students how to protect Mother Earth. I learned so much I didn't already know and more about things I did. My favorite new knowledge is really what plastic is made out of and the interactions between the environment and vice versa, like the sun and how the rays can break up plastic. I also really liked how we were able to test what we had just learned in a Kahoot! I wanted to ask a couple of questions: What is Imogen doing, beyond what she had already told us, to reduce her amount of waste and micro-plastics? Also when a large plastic is broken down by the sun does the plastic eventually become micro-plastic/can only biodegradable plastics be broken down by the sun?

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19VR4C8qA89BQkROVvVoUvRqv-Fs-ZiP-RXe3gEI3To0/edit?usp=sharing

Works cited

Durand, Brent. We May Have Missed Half the Microplastics in the Ocean Https://Www.newscientist.com/Article/2243731-We-May-Have-Missed-Half-the-Microplastics-in-the-Ocean/#ixzz77gofaUbs, Getty Images, 15 May 2020, www.newscientist.com/article/2243731-we-may-have-missed-half-the-microplastics-in-the-ocean/. 

Daily Dose of Nature

 Today I was a part of a virtual meeting on nature as medicine with Dr. Lem. Dr. Lem showed concrete data to support findings that nature helped improve human quality of life. 

This claim was based on two theories as to why nature improves human life. 1) Humans have evolved to understand that nature keeps them alive, 2) nature is vastly different from the problem solving urban world today, making nature a form of escape. Both these claims have value as research shows that people who spend 20-30 minutes in nature had a significant cortisol drop. And those who are in nature tend to have higher self-esteem, overall happier moods, reduce depression and anxiety, and improve satisfaction with life. 

Orcas Island 2021

My favorite topic covered was unconventional nature. When Dr. Lem was going through the health benefits of conventional nature, like stress decrease and reduction of depression and anxiety, I found myself reflecting on how my horse Quest brought me those same benefits. Yet when I think of conventional nature, I picture a big forest with fungi and foggy air, not a horse in its pen surrounded by dead California grass.

But when Dr. Lem talked about how you can experience nature through yourself, posters of nature, sounds of nature, and animals. I realized that Quest is just as much a part of nature as the woods are. Quest is made of natural molecules; Quest eats, drinks, and breathes using what our world has to offer, just like other natural organisms do. Quest brings me emotional peace; he and other forms of nature both don’t have a schedule or agenda for the day. Quest slows me down; I become in the moment for the beautiful four-legged natural organism standing next to me presence alone let's all the human inorganic mess to fall away.

My Curious Questions

I have questions specifically catering to people like my parents who work typical office jobs

How do the fluorescent lights business people are under all day affect their health? 

How can businesses make more natural working conditions for those stuck in cubicles all day?

Flow

Flow

Water is an important resource in the world because all life needs water to exist. Many use water for agriculture, households, and recreation, but water is often taken for granted. In the documentary FLOW, the importance and uses of water are shown around different parts of the world. The filmmaker's goal is to stress the importance of water and the issues about water.

One of the documentary main topics was the water right. We spend over $30 billion on safe drinking water for the entire planet, yet many places don’t have access to clean water. Water privatization is another major issue, an example being Nestle which produces water bottles, goes into Michigan, and pumps 450 gallons of water per minute. They take in Michigan’s water for free and sell this water for profit. Their water bottles have gone under fire for using large amounts of plastic and mislabeling water saying their water is safer than tap water.

What surprises me from this film is the number of places that don’t have access to clean water. The lack of clean water leads to death through dehydration and waterborne diseases. Learning how waterborne diseases can affect a population shocked me, such as in Bolivia where one in ten children die before the age of five. The concept of clean water is overlooked in society and this concept must be talked about more because everyone has the right to clean water to survive. A new insight I got from this film is over the concept of bottled water. I have always been under the assumption that bottled water is safer to drink than tap water. Watching this film and learning that no one actually knows what’s in bottled water, makes me realize that bottled water is a hoax.

In the past 13 years since the documentary, large bottled water companies have made positive changes and given back to their community. Nestle has made changes to put their Michigan community first by donating water to Central Michigan to first responders and residents in need and Nestle has made steps to care for the environment by working to reduce trash and making their bottles 100% recyclable. In Flint, Michigan, infrastructure upgrades have been made to ensure safe water and the Clean Water Trust Fund has repaired infrastructures in areas where there is limited water, along with improving sanitation facilities in America. Rainwater harvesting systems are being used to collect and store rainwater and drip irrigation systems are being used for agriculture and other plants which helps to conserve water. There are still billions living without sanitary water or basic drinking water services, so we must use our voice to make a change because water is a right for all living things.

Related Links:

Water Conservation

The Water Project

How Can A Virus Be Eradicated, or is This an Impossible Task?

After learning about viruses in Season Two in my biology class, each of my team members had to brainstorm a curious driving question to create a video project, discussing our findings. With a lot of talk about whether or not people want to get the COVID vaccine, I realized that I could research the history of old epidemics, in the United States, and use that research to persuade why vaccination is so beneficial to fighting a virus. I mostly researched polio, a little about measles, but found that vaccination was the reason why cases of polio were reducing and why continents were being deemed polio-free. Thanks to herd immunity, all members of our community can be protected from a viral outbreak, helping eradicate a virus.

Want to know about herd immunity and how the history of the polio epidemic proves how vaccination is successful in eradicating a virus? Watch my video! 

Overall, I am very happy with the result of the video and I loved learning about the polio epidemic. It happened before my time so I never really understood how feared the virus was or how serious the epidemic was in the United States; after COVID-19, I had always assumed the polio epidemic was similar. During the process of making the video, I definitely wanted to write ten minutes more of information than I ended up including, but it was trimmed down enough to where you get the main picture with a lot of information, but it is not too distracting with how much information there is. That leads me to my first improvement: talking slower. Since I wanted to include a ton of information, I was about 2 seconds under the 5-minute limit, so I was speaking extremely fast to make the video under that amount. I realize that I did not really breathe while talking, so for next time I can space out my wording and talk slower. I also saw a lot of my teammates were suggesting I should add some background music and I also think that would be a great idea. I originally did not add music because I thought my voice was already loud enough, and I worried it would be a little distracting. Lastly, I loved this project! I rarely get to fuel my own interests into my learning, and what I think made this project so fun was that I chose to learn about it, and obviously I got a little excited and carried away with the research aspect but I enjoyed learning! Most of all, though, I am very proud of the end result, and I hope you like it too, and that it encourages you to get vaccinated!

Work Cited:

Beaubien, Jason. “Wiping out Polio: How the U.S. Snuffed out a Killer.” NPR, 12 Oct. 2012, http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2012/10/16/162670836/wiping-out-polio-how-the-u-s-snuffed-out-a-killer. Accessed 24 Sept. 2021.

Blume, Staurt, and Ingrid Geesink. “A Brief History of Polio Vaccines.” Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2 June 2000, http://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.288.5471.1593. Accessed 24 Sept. 2021.

Caldwell, Alison. “How Does the FDA Approve Vaccines?” UChicago Medicine, U of Chicago Medical Center, 21 Dec. 2020, http://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/how-does-the-fda-approve-vaccines. Accessed 24 Sept. 2021.

“History of Polio.” The History of Vaccines, College of Physicians of Philadelphia, http://www.historyofvaccines.org/timeline/polio. Accessed 24 Sept. 2021.

Joint Release News. “More than 140,000 Die from Measles as Cases Surge Worldwide.” World Health Organization, WHO, 5 Dec. 2019, http://www.who.int/news/item/05-12-2019-more-than-140-000-die-from-measles-as-cases-surge-worldwide. Accessed 30 Sept. 2021.Kluger, Jeffery. 

“The World Health Organization Declares Africa Polio-Free.” Time Magazine, Time USA, 25 Aug. 2020, time.com/5883233/africa-declared-polio-free/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the-brief&utm_content=20200826&et_rid=31820120. Accessed 24 Sept. 2021.

“Measles Cases and Outbreaks.” Center for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 13 Sept. 2021, http://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html. Accessed 24 Sept. 2021.

“Measles History.” Center for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, http://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/history.html. Accessed 24 Sept. 2021.

“Our Progress against Polio.” Center for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, http://www.cdc.gov/polio/progress/index.htm. Accessed 24 Sept. 2021.

“Polio: A 20th Century Epidemic.” Science Museum, Science Museum Group, 15 Oct. 2018, http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/medicine/polio-20th-century-epidemic. Accessed 24 Sept. 2021.

“Science and the Regulation of Biological Products.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, http://www.fda.gov/about-fda/histories-product-regulation/science-and-regulation-biological-products. Accessed 24 Sept. 2021.

“Whatever Happened to Polio?” National Museum of American History, Smithsonian, amhistory.si.edu/polio/americanepi/communities.htm. Accessed 24 Sept. 2021.”What Is Polio?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, http://www.cdc.gov/polio/what-is-polio/index.htm. Accessed 24 Sept. 2021.

TOBACCO MOSAIC VIRUS (TMV)

Tobacco Mosaic Virus was the first virus discovered and cause a production loss of tobacco of up to two percent.

Tobacco mosaic virus is usually spread from plant to plant via ‘mechanical’ wounds caused by contaminated hands, clothing, or tools such as pruning shears and hoes. This is because TMV occurs in very high concentrations in most plant cells. When plants are handled, the tiny leaf hairs and some outer cells are inevitably damaged and leak sap onto hands, tools, and clothing. Seeds from infected plants can also carry the virus on their seed coats.

Once inside the plant, the virus releases its genetic code (RNA). The plant mistakes this for its own RNA and starts to produce viral proteins.

The virus then spreads to neighboring cells through microscopic channels in the cell walls (plasmodesmata), and eventually enters the translocation system of the plant (xylem and phloem). From here, it spreads to the entire plant.

Improvements

Before receiving feedback from my classmates, the infographic was a bit different. What didn't work was the organization of the space, because the number of words was perfect but there were too many pictures on the top and none in the other parts of the slide. For this reason, it was not balanced, and what my teammate and I did was add visuals connected to the topic of each paragraph; for example in the paragraph about the origins of the TMV, we put a map that shows in what part of the world the virus started spreading. We also edited the scripts' colors and we changed the Infection visual. Now I believe that our graphic is much more organized and interesting!

Works cited

Controlling the spread of plant disease - BBC Bitesize https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zx94y4j/revision/2

Tobacco Mosaic Virus https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disandpath/viral/pdlessons/Pages/TobaccoMosaic.aspx

Tobacco Mosaic Virus: symptoms, transmission and management https://www.farmersweekly.co.za/crops/field-crops/tobacco-mosaic-virus-symptoms-transmission-management/

Tobacco Mosaic Virus: The Beginning of Plant Virology https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/apsnetfeatures/Pages/TMV.aspx

Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) https://extension.psu.edu/tobacco-mosaic-virus-tmv

Fetal Pig Dissection!

This week in AP Bio we had the opportunity to do a fetal pig dissection! Dissections have always been my favorite part of science classes because it's a chance to see up-close what our organs look like. 

We first started by determining the gender of the pig and ours turned out to be a male pig. Next, we measured the length of the pig to get a rough idea of how old our pig was. He was a little over 30cm long, which means he was very close to birth time already. 

Then, we moved onto the abdominal cavity which was so interesting to learn more about. I think the best part about dissections is that it's a great opportunity to try and apply what I've learned in class to real life. While textbooks and online images use different colors to differentiate organs, the organs of this fetal pig were all the same color. At first glance, it's easy to mix up the small intestine and large intestine because of their similar structure/appearance but once I looked closer I remembered the ways to differentiate them and I realized just how much I've been learning in this class!

Here's an image from our dissection worksheets! How many can you label?

We learned more about the function of each organ and how they all play an important role in how our body functions. The diaphragm separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities and aids breathing, the pancreas makes insulin, and our gallbladder stores bile. I also found the mesentery organ really interesting because I've always wondered what holds our intestines and other organs in place while we move about through our day. 

Looking through the thoracic cavity was super interesting as well because it gave me an idea of how my own thoracic cavity looks like. The size difference in the lungs was fascinating to look at because textbook diagrams don't usually show the difference. Our left lung is usually smaller than the right lung because our heart is closer to the left side of our chest, so it slightly rests on the left lung. We also took a closer look at the inside of the pig's heart and I loved seeing the different components of a heart. 

Another image from our dissection worksheets! How many can you label?

Overall, I had so much fun watching this dissection. It was so fascinating and a great learning experience. I hope in college I have the opportunity to do more dissections, maybe even on a different animal! 

Fetal Pig Dissection!

“Ultimate Fetal Pig Anatomy Review: Pig Dissection, Fetal, Dissection.” Pinterest, www.pinterest.com/pin/565201821982270212/.

This week in my AP Biology class, we had the opportunity to participate in a fetal pig dissection to explore the Kingdom Animalia. In previous classes and camps, I have dissected a frog, worm, squid, and fish... but this so far was the most interesting!

Edu, byTeam Leverage, et al. “18 Interesting Science Experiments for Class 6 at Home.” Leverage Edu, 14 Mar. 2021, leverageedu.com/blog/science-experiments-for-class-6/.

Due to Covid-19, the amount of hands-on labs we have completed this year has been minimal. So, when given the opportunity, my class was excited to watch our teacher dissect a fetal pig and teach us about the different structures in our body! What I found interesting about this lab was getting to see how the organs and tissues package together and fit within an organism. It was fascinating to discuss the different structures and functions of each organ and relate this to the human body and previous topics in AP bio. Our class was able to make connections to previous units that covered the topics of cell structure, diffusion, osmosis, enzymes, and evolution. As our teacher completed the dissection, we eagerly discussed how these topics related to the many processes that occur in our body!

Vectorwin, et al. “Probiotic Icon Vector. Isolated Contour Symbol Illustration Stock Vector Art 1213467627.” IStock, www.istockphoto.com/search/2/image?mediatype=illustration&phrase=small+intestine.

For example, when exploring the coiling small intestine, we noted how large the surface area to volume ratio was. Then, we connected this back to our topic of osmosis and diffusion, discussing how a large surface area to volume ratio allows water and important nutrients to diffuse at faster rate - because there is more surface area (room) for these molecules to diffuse through. This is beneficial to the organisms because the organ will get the important water and nutrients it needs for the cells to function properly.

This investigation left me curious about about my own body and the many processes happening in these complex systems! Overall, I really enjoyed being able to participate in a hands-on lab that explored Kingdom Animalia. Fascinating!

Check out this short video on how to dissect a fetal pig! Note - content may be disturbing to some viewers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC0yWBXaM28

Thanks for checking out my blog post!

Protista Exploration

Protista is more or less the catch-all phylum of the life classifications. Anything that cannot be classified as plant, animal, or fungi is placed here. This results in an extremely diverse, and truly captivating group of organisms. One of the most common protists are seaweeds. My team and I explored different seaweeds, and various other types of protists for this lab, to get a better idea of what truly makes up this mosh pit of life.

Alizé Carrère: Modern Explorer

 

Today in class we had a visit from Modern Explorer, Alizé Carrère, through the Exploring By The Seat of Your Pants discussion. Carrère is a National Geographic explorer, filmaker, PhD student, and current researcher of how humans adapt to environmental change.

Ever since she was a child she has been very in tune with the environment, as she lived in a home with a three hundred year old oak tree growing through the porch. This unusual feature of her home. sparked her interest in the environment and science. Since she has moved on from her home in Ithaca, New York she has been involved in work surrounding how people interact with the world around them.

Carrère has had access to so many amazing travel opportunities through her work with National Geographic. For example she has done work in Madagascar, the Falkland Islands, Bangladesh, and the Philippines. In Madagascar she studied how farmers dealt with deforestation. She found that farmers had adapted to their new landscape by creating holes to move water down hillsides and control the irrigation of their crops. 

National Geographic has granted Carrère the opportunity to host a series called Modern Explorer where alongside co-host, Tom Richie, Carrère looks into what makes an explorer. Her visit to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia consisted of studying fur seals and king penguins among others. She mentioned that she chose Richie as her co-host because he has a lot of experience traveling for scientific research. As he is an older scientist, he brings a different perspective of travel and methods of conducting research. Carrère explains that he bridges a different generation of explorers. In the first episode of Modern Explorer, Carrère notes the differences between her and Richie’s form of documenting their findings. Carrère’s method consists of many pictures and journal entries while Richie has shelves and drawers of his findings in a shack by his house. The two forms of documenting shows how much technology has affected our world and the way we keep track of information. 

Alizé’s talk today has become one of my favorite Exploring By The Seat of Your Pants discussions! I would love to travel just like her and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing her anecdotes accompanied by pictures. I found her ties to Crash Course and National Geographic inspiring because I think they are two well known groups for education and she is able to be deeply involved in both. Her small beginnings with science has led her to pursue filmmaking and scientific research in a combination of interests. I would recommend watching her session on Exploring By The Seat of Your Pants linked here: https://youtu.be/H5csJka6hZ8. I will definitely be keeping up with her journey through social media and Modern Explorer. 

Again, here is her Exploring By The Seat of Your Pants session:

https://youtu.be/H5csJka6hZ8

Here is a link to the Modern Explorer Playlist on National Geographic's Youtube:

https://youtu.be/rR-C7VUB9B8

If you would like to look deeper into Alizé's journey, here is a link to her website:

https://www.alizecarrere.com/

Works Cited

Alizé Carrère, http://www.alizecarrere.com/. 

Exploring By The Seat Of Your Pants. “Alizé Carrére | Modern Explorer.” Youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5csJka6hZ8. 

National Geographic Education. “Modern Explorer.” Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR-C7VUB9B8&list=PLwDYgc65Zhn6eN0_Tw0xi1bTETDLvzvVS. 

 

 The Modern Explorer – Insider

     My team and I had the chance to listen to Alizé Carrère. After having already the chance to listen to some other groups this is my personal favorite one so far. She was super energetic and kept the group engaged during her presentation. She is a modern explorer and discussed her experience about how it has been working in this field. During her presentation, she discussed how outside of her childhood home there is a tree that would grow right infant of their home. When hearing this, she then led on to explain how there was even a joke in her family that the tree was another member of her family. While she then stated how this helped her recognize the importance of keeping our environment intact as she said how her family had to remove slowly the front porch for the tree to be able to continue growing. She then went on to discuss how she has a youtube channel called Modern Explore which my classmates and I have been watching. She then discussed about a man named Ernest Shackleton who was an explorer and how he was attempting to go to Antarctica but, never made it there because of misguidance and misinterpretation. At one point, the explorers were drifting in the sea for nine months until they finally reached land (but before their ship had sunk and they went on into a lifeboat). Although, when they arrived no one was to be spotted. So, he told his crew to stay put and was gone for four months. His crew had to keep hope that one day he would arrive back to them with help (also considering the factor that they did not have any way of communicating). Having this in mind they had no real security nor the right equipment for where they were. Especially, with the note that there was much snow and their clothes were not well suited and I believe they only had a few items such as nails, a lamp, rope, and standard outfits (that would have been most likely wet she stated). Luckily on August 13, 1916, he had arrived back and saved his crew. Even though the team did not make it to Antarctica he brought everyone alive and showed how great of a leader he was. Overall, this was a miracle especially with the fact that the crew were most likely starving/having frostbite and so on. The extremes are purely insane to imagine. Continuing on she discussed how she was able to travel to the site where Ernest set path when attempting to find help. Later, to then state how as an explorer there is no need really in having an expensive camera. As she said that she typically uses her phone and a notebook when exploring. After discussing this she led on to discuss how Tom Ritchie is in a sense a mentor for her. She even stated how she believes that he has traveled to Antarctica the most out of everyone (in the world). Alizé then explained that she hopes that once COVID-19 is gone; Tom and her will be able to resume and continue with their series (Modern Explorer). I enjoyed this presentation and I hope that she can create more content as the year go on!

Images – (from her presentation/interview) 

Ghost in Your Genes

PBS Nova: Ghost in Your Genes

Today in AP Biology, our class watched a NOVA documentary about how epigenetics affects gene expression. When the entire human genome was mapped, scientists were surprised that there were only about 25,000 genes, the same as fish or mice. This was not expected because humans are more complex than organisms such as fruit flies. Scientists began to wonder what else may contribute to human complexity other than genes, mainly epigenetics.

What is the epigenome? Epigenetics translates to “above the genome”. The epigenome consists of histamine proteins that wrap around the DNA which provide structure. These proteins can either activate or turn off certain genes. When proteins “hug” the DNA tightly, then it is hidden from view for the cell, and cannot be expressed. Environmental factors such as diet and stress can impact the structure of the epigenome which affects how the genetic code is read and expressed.

The movie illustrated this concept with an example of how identical twin mice can weigh differently depending on the activation or deactivation of the agouti gene. The methyl group marker turned off the agouti gene in the thin mice. Scientists were able to control the offspring of the fat agouti mice by silencing the agouti gene in the mother with certain minerals. The change in her genome passed to her offspring resulting in thin baby mice.

To further understand the impact of epigenetics, the film discussed some studies done on identical twins. Because identical twins have identical genomes, any differences between the twins can be traced to the impact of epigenetics. Scientists can determine exactly how these chemical markers can affect the expression of genes. In a study, the researchers used DNA from identical twins and compared gene expression. The scientists observed how the epigenome in twins differentiates over time from outside experience. Although twins may have the same DNA, their epigenome can become completely unique.

The film showed another study done with rats. Scientists concluded that environmental factors can change the expression of DNA within a lifetime and pass down those changes to following generations. The researchers observed two groups of rats, one with nurturing mothers and the other with detached mothers. The offspring of these two groups significantly responded to stress differently. This was not from genetic differences but their environmental experiences. When studying the epigenomes, they discovered discrepancies in the markers on genes that affected stress response.

The movie went on to discuss how environmental factors can lead to human disease. When epigenetic changes silence tumor suppressor genes or active oncogenes, the regulation of the cell cycle can be affected. This can result in overstimulation of cell division or an inability to inhibit cell growth leading to tumors or cancer. Doctors have started doing epigenetic therapy for diseases such as cancer. Medical professionals can now treat patients with drugs that remove silencing tags that turn off the tumor suppressor genes. Over half of these patients have experienced significant remission in their cancer growth with minimal side effects. One example patient explained how he has now been cancer-free for two years after receiving this epigenetic treatment.

The speaker went on to describe how epigenetics can help explain why a specific gene for autism has yet to be found. Because the epigenome can affect the expression of any gene, it is difficult to identify a specific sequence that was chemically tagged to turn on or off. Additionally, for each individual, the markers may affect DNA differently. The film showed a set of identical twins where one sister had autism while the other did not. Since their DNA is identical, the epigenome would make the difference in their conditions.

At the end of the movie, the episode focused on the information found in a Swedish village that helps to explain more about epigenetics and inheritance. Scientists tracked births and deaths for centuries alongside the frequent famines that occurred. The researchers were initially looking at the connection between poor nutrition and health. During the study, they discovered that the available food supply from one generation affected the grandchildren with an increased or decreased risk for diabetes. This was not from direct mutations to DNA but the environmental information tagged on the epigenome.

After watching this documentary, I was surprised by the complexity that epigenetics adds to gene expression and our understanding of human DNA. I am excited to see how this science will develop in the future especially with improvements for medical treatments. The conclusions made from the Swedish village made me rethink the choices I make today knowing they can affect my children or grandchildren later on. Learning about this "second genome" provided insight into how experiences can mold genomes within a lifetime and live in following generations.

Nova Documentary:

click ^ to watch

More on epigenetics:

click ^ to read

Works Cited:

“Can the Legacy of Trauma Be Passed down the Generations?” BBC Future, BBC, www.bbc.com/future/article/20190326-what-is-epigenetics.

Geneimprint. “Ghost in Your Genes.” Vimeo, 23 May 2021, vimeo.com/248146854.

Genetic Counseling

             In class, I got to meet two very inspiring women who spoke about their passion for genetic counseling, Quinlyn Highsmith and Brooke Nightingale! One thing that was very interesting to hear about was how Quinlyn found her passion and how she recommends we find ours. First, she suggested that we focus on what subjects we find most interesting in school and then research careers that have to do with these subjects. She also recommended shadowing people at different jobs because it will help us observe what daily life would look like in that career. I really enjoyed hearing about Quinlyn’s suggestions because I have never even thought of shadowing different places to determine if a specific job is what I want to pursue. This is a great tip and piece of advice that I will definitely use in the future to explore more about the possible jobs that I am thinking of applying for. 

            Next, hearing about Brooke’s experience with genetic counseling was a little bit different because she has more experience in this field. I learned so much from her presentation and found the stories of her clients very interesting. One thing that Brooke taught the class about was Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome. This was a very engaging topic because I have never heard about this condition before. Brooke had two female clients who were curious to know why they had not gotten their period yet by the time they were 16 and 20 years old. After running tests and analyzing the results, Brooke found that they had Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome which is when someone has an X and a Y chromosome (which males have), however, their body cannot respond to some male hormones. This is why people with this condition may have some physical female characteristics, but be genetically male, thus not getting a period. This really surprised me because conditions like Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome are definitely not talked about very often, ultimately making these lessons and topics more taboo. Although Brooke’s presentation touched a lot on topics that I have explored in my AP Biology class, such as inheritance, family pedigrees, and disorders such as breast cancer and Alzheimer’s, she also introduced a completely new condition that I have never gotten to learn about before!

            After sharing this with us, I felt very connected to Brooke’s story because she reminded me of a nurse. She spoke about how delivering this kind of news to her clients is very difficult to do, which is why it is so important for her to be a strong support system for others. I respected Brooke on a deeper level after this because I realized that she is not just examining tests and reporting what she finds, but she is also delivering life-changing information that ultimately breaks family’s hearts. This is why I loved when she recognized that a huge part of her job is to continuously be compassionate and supportive to whoever she is working with. 

            Although I got to spend an entire class period learning from both Quinlyn and Brooke, I am still curious to hear about Quinlyn’s future and other clients that Brooke works with! I have included a picture below, that Brooke shared with my class, about the multiple tasks of a genetic counselor in case you are interested in pursuing a career in this field!

Cracking Your Genetic Code

 

1/25/21

Secret codes… we often think of these devices being used to open safes or hidden passages. Although there is a secret code hidden inside all of us, in the form of DNA. DNA is a nucleic acid found in the nucleus of our cells. DNA contains our genetic code, which sequences for the creation of proteins that help our body to function properly and also determines our phenotype. These sections of DNA that code for the genes that produce specific proteins, have a unique sequence of nitrogenous bases (Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Thymine) that determine what the protein produced will be. If there is even a single mutation in this sequence, a misplaced nitrogenous base, a certain protein will either not be produced or it will be produced incorrectly meaning that the protein will not function properly either. These genetic mutations, which can sometimes be passed from parents to offspring, can lead to diseases, such as cystic fibrosis or down syndrome, due to the dysfunctional proteins produced, or not produced. So essential DNA is the secret code for human life and development. And if this secret code is discovered, meaning the whole genome is sequenced, it can be beneficial to some individuals but damaging to others as well. 

("What Kinds of Gene Mutation…”)

This image demonstrates the result of even having a single mutated base in a gene sequence. The shape of the protein produced could be altered, meaning the protein cannot function properly, or no protein could be produced at all. Knowing these mutations in the genome can help doctors to diagnose an individual, and by editing these mutations with CRISPR the correct protein can hopefully be produced and the body can begin to function properly.

Due to advancements in technology our society has been able to sequence DNA, meaning the entire genome of an individual was read. Through sequencing, certain mutations can be distinguished and therefore a cure/prevention method can be found. This technology has been developed to the point where an individual's DNA, or at least sections of it, can be sequences in a fast, accurate, and cost effective manner. This means that certain companies, such as 23 & Me, are able to collect an individual's DNA and go through certain parts of gene sequences to determine if that person is more or less prone to developing a certain disease. Since only a portion if the DNA is sifted through, these results cannot be entirely accurate since the development of these diseases usually rely on environmental factors as well as other genes. 

All of this new information can be very helpful to treating diseases and cancers, such as cystic fibrosis or melanoma. Scientists can determine the mutation in the genotype of the sick individual and fix the issue. In the case of cystic fibrosis, gene based drugs are given to the patient to allow the mutated protein to stop producing the thick mucus that is causing their problems. Scientists sequenced the genotype of skin cancer, melanoma to be exact, and found that some patients have a mutation in the BRAF gene which causes the cells to replicate rapidly and uncontrollably. So scientists have found that giving a specific drug can inhibit this mutated protein from sending the signals to the cells that cause them to rapidly divide, therefore stopping the spread and growth of this skin cancer. This new discovery has allowed scientists to make some amazing advancements that will allow people to treat their diseases in a more effective manner, these treatments customized for their specific genome, or take preventative measures to ensure that a certain disease that they are prone to does not develop. 

A result of this study of the human genome has also allowed for the development of CRISPR technology. This method allows scientists to address the genetic mutation directly, and replace the mutated nitrogenous base with the correct base. This will allow the correct protein to be produced and the body to work efficiently on it’s own once again. If you would like to learn more about the exact details of how CRISPR works and controversy surrounding the discovery, please feel free to check out this link: https://www.wired.com/story/wired-guide-to-crispr/ 

While DNA sequencing for the most part has had many benefits, there are a few dangerous consequences that have developed from the discovery of this new technology. For example, people who discover that they have the BRCA1 gene, which is associated with developing breast and ovarian cancer, may be more likely to get married and have children before they are really ready so that they can have their breasts and ovaries removed. This person will rush their life because of this new information that they found out, meaning that they may not have thought through their decisions to ensure they would be entirely happy with their spouse. Companies or banks could also get a hold of your genetic information and begin to discriminate against you based on what diseases you are more prone to develop. And finally, the development of CRISPR may also mean the development of “designer babies”. 

Scientists have stated to generally edit embryos to see if they would be able to prevent a child from being born with a genetic disease that their parents may have passed down to them. While this started with good intentions, as the technology developed it became harder to control what others would be doing with CRISPR. Many want to genetically edit their children so that they can have favorable traits or skills, such as height, intelligence, or physical abilities. Fortunately the scientists in the documentary say that since these traits are linked to so many different genes on so many different chromosomes, it would be very difficult to make the edits necessary for the baby produced to have these traits. Still the world is not quite yet ready for CRISPR babies, yet some scientists overstep the bounds. One scientist edited an embryo to ensure that the children produced would be resistant to HIV, and while this seems like a good cause the edit was not necessary since there is already medicine present that treats HIV. The samples that the scientist used were also not meant to be developed into human life, yet still two baby girls were born who are resistant to HIV due to genetic editing. If you would like to learn more about the scientific community's response to the scientist and how access has changed to get these embryo research samples because of this incident, please take a look at this link: https://www.wired.com/story/us-biotech-firms-made-chinese-crispr-babies-possible/?mbd=GuidesLearnMore

("#110 Gattaca, 22 Years Later")

This Sci-Fi movie from 1997 explores the societal impact of knowing your peers genetic code and having the ability to edit this code before birth. This film plays on the fear that if this genetic code is known it can be used to discriminate against individuals, adding another reason for our picky society to favor certain individuals and leave others to suffer for something that is not their fault.

As one can see, understanding an individual's genome can have benefits, but there are also many downfalls as well. With these new technological and scientific developments our society must create a more solid ethical foundation on what is considered “right”, and what is “going too far”. At what point must we sacrifice scientific development in order to ensure that we stay true to our ethics and are protecting every human, and future generations, from the discrimination or other unknown side effects that may go along with understanding and editing the human genome. Knowing about your DNA can be a life-altering experience, but depending on the mutations in your sequence it can either save your life or make you aware of your imminent downfall.

Works Cited

Molteni, Megan, and Grace Huckins. "The WIRED Guide to Crispr." Wired, 1 Aug.

     2021, www.wired.com/story/wired-guide-to-crispr/. Accessed 24 Jan. 2021.

Molteni, Megan. US Biotech Firms Made China's Gene-Edited Babies Possible.

     Wired, 30 Nov. 2018, www.wired.com/story/

     us-biotech-firms-made-chinese-crispr-babies-possible/?mbd=GuidesLearnMore.

     Accessed 24 Jan. 2021.

"What Kinds of Gene Mutations Are Possible." EssayRx, essayrx.com/article/

     what-kinds-of-gene-mutations-are-possible. Accessed 24 Jan. 2021.

"#110 Gattaca, 22 Years Later." DNA Today, dnapodcast.com/episodes/2019/10/23/

     110-gattaca-22-years-later. Accessed 24 Jan. 2021.

Cracking Your Genetic Code Documentary

As biophysicist Gregory Stock states “we are entering an era of unprecedented self knowledge” as “we are beginning to understand the processes that constitute our cells where we can intervene to take control of our own future”.  The documentary Cracking Your Genetic Code discusses the ways in which advancements in the field of genomics is changing the world. 

The first time a genome was sequenced took thirteen years, hundreds of scientists and billions of dollars. Now gene sequencing, genotyping and gene testing is becoming more readily available and integrated into our society.  For example, the biotechnical company 23andMe allows one to access their genetic information and risk for possible genetic diseases for two hundred dollars. This means that many people have access to their genetic information especially as more and more companies develop this technology. However, no technology can fully and accurately predict a health condition because the technology is still relatively new and there are still so many unknowns about the human genome. As stated in the documentary, “the vast majority of genetic information is largely probabilistic” (Cracking Your Genetic Code). 

The presence and availability of this technology asks the question: How will knowing what the diseases you might have in the future affect the way you live? Katie Moser decided to get tested for the gene which causes Huntington’s disease because the gene ran in her family. The test results indicated that she had the gene and therefore had a high likelihood of being diagnosed with Huntington’s disease later in her life. With this information, she believed she could better plan for her life. Contrarily, Catherine Elton intentionally did not do gene testing even though she knew that there was a chance she could have a mutated BRCA1 (because the gene ran in her family). She believed that if she knew she had that gene, she would be carrying a burden which would constrict her from living her life to the fullest. Ultimately, she was diagnosed with breast cancer when pregnant with her second child but claimed she would not have changed her decision to do gene testing. 

The images below gives a visual example for how genetic sequencing works, using a liver (DNA Sequencing Process). The second image is a close up of how the gene sequences can appear on a computer for scientists to analyze. Each color represents one of the four nitrogenous bases that make up DNA('Measuring Stick' Standard for Gene Sequencing)

This documentary left me thinking a lot about the future of biological sciences. The possibility of our genome being the new way in which we define ourselves in the coming years is not absurd.  In my opinion, this idea is frightening because genetic information adds another factor in which one can be discriminated against and adds more complexity to things such as privacy. But I also find this new form of self identity to be exciting because this means we are gaining more and more insight into one of the greatest mysteries: human life.

The trailer to the documentary Cracking Your Genetic Code is attached below! Also, if you have a library card you can watch the documentary through Kanopy.

Works Cited

Cracking Your Genetic Code. Dir. Sarah Holt. PBS, 2012. Kanopy. Web. 24 Jan. 2021.

DNA Sequencing Process. National Human Genome Research Institute, www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/DNA-Sequencing-Fact-Sheet. Accessed 24 Jan. 2021.

'Measuring Stick' Standard for Gene Sequencing. NIST, 21 May 2015, www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2015/05/measuring-stick-standard-gene-sequencing-now-available-nist. Accessed 24 Jan. 2021.

"NOVA | Cracking Your Genetic Code." YouTube, uploaded by NOVA PBS Official, 9 Feb. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPzid88oSFc. Accessed 24 Jan. 2021.