Playlist

A Gene Called ACE – Blood PressureClassroom tested lesson
Ever wondered why some people just seem naturally better at sports than others? Why some people burn off fat in the gym and others don’t? New research suggests that there’s one amazing gene, which could predict our physical state and our vulnerability to disease. A remarkable study in the UK is suggesting that the ACE gene could unlock all these secrets and more.
Episode: 3 | Show: 111 | Length: 8 min 51 sec

A Green Light for Biology – Making the Invisible VisibleClassroom tested lesson
This discovery known as Green Fluorescent has revolutionized molecular biology. Movement of living molecules generally can be seen but the advent of GFP made the invisible visible. The protein, found in jellyfish helps researchers track substances of all kinds, in real time, and show how they mark cells, maintain them and function in concert with other cells.
Episode: 2 | Show: 124 | Length: 9 min. 59 sec.

A Link for the Missing – DNA “Fingerprinting”Classroom tested lesson
The process of DNA profiling was developed by British geneticist Alec Jeffries in 1984 and has been instrumental in the forensic analysis of crime scene evidence leading to the conviction of perpetrators and the freeing of innocent convicts. This segment looks at the use of DNA fingerprinting as an additional way to identify children in the event of their disappearance.
Episode: 2 | Show: 127 | Length: 7 min. 33 sec.

Air War – Biological WeaponsClassroom tested lesson
During the Cold War, Soviet Bloc scientists apparently developed an aerosol disbursed biological weapon using the pneumonic plague virus.
Episode: 2 | Show: 121 | Length: 8 min. 54 sec.

Are the Voices in the Genes – SchizophreniaClassroom tested lesson
Schizophrenia is a mysterious, tragic brain disease that affects 24 million adults worldwide with hallucinations, delusions and other symptoms. Mr. Keafer understands the disease first hand – he has it. Like most victims of the disease he was diagnosed when he was in his late teens and has often wondered, “why me?” Is it genetic or environmental? Researchers are closing in on the cause.
Episode: 3 | Show: 147 | Length: 9 min 33 sec

Bar flies – AlcoholismClassroom tested lesson
Never seen a drunken fruit fly? Then join us as we explore the genetic connections to alcoholism by studying fruit flies at the University of California, San Francsisco. Ulrike Heberlein’s “barflies” tell us a lot about how well we hold liquor and why.
Episode: 2 | Show: 101 | Length: 7 min 58 sec

Bioethics – Drawing the LineClassroom tested lesson
Tweny-four years later, we still know little about all the results of the first step of human genetic manipulation, the creation of the first test tube-baby. While the President’s advisory council debates what policies to recommend on issues of cloning and stem cell research, it’s possible to purchase eggs off the human Internet. Drug companies and other commercial enterprises are patenting genes and biological processes — even before knowledge is complete about how they work. Consumers are often desperate for the treatments promised by scientific and commercial hype that comes with genetic advances. Where do you draw the line between what is ethically acceptable and what is not?
Episode: 1 | Show: 113 | Length: 12 min. 4 sec.

By Land or By Sea – Comparative AnatomyClassroom tested lesson
How has nature, through evolution, used the same genes to create diversity? Researchers have identified a specific family of genes, which are responsible for body segmentation in crustaceans, like lobsters, crabs and shrimp. In humans, this same family of genes is responsible for creating our segments, such as our spine and ribs.
Episode: 2 | Show: 125 | Length: 7 min. 55 sec.

Cancer – Compiling the CatalogClassroom tested lesson
Researchers and physicians at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center are creating a tissue bank of tumor types. This is enabling them to discover specific genetic biomarkers for various tumors and types of cancer. This library of tumor types will help doctors diagnose and treat cancers on a molecular level.
Episode: 3 | Show: 132 | Length: 8 min. 51 sec.

Case of the Missing Gene – Breast CancerClassroom tested lesson
Every year nearly 200,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer. A girl born today has one chance in eight of developing this disease at some point in her life. To cure breast cancer –or at least make it easily treatable—scientists say we need to know what’s happening in our genes. Researchers at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York recently discovered a gene linked to sporadic breast cancers. Scientists talk about that gene and other inherited genetic troublemakers.
Episode: 2 | Show: 138 | Length: 8 min. 42 sec.

Cloning Around – Champion TreesClassroom tested lesson
Dave Milarch doesn’t know if the oldest and largest trees in America have a genetic leg up — but the fact of their robust longevity is enough for him. He is grafting/cloning the biggest and oldest trees from every species in America so that when someone finally gets interested, their genes will still be around.
Episode: 3 | Show: 109 | Length: 7 min. 13 sec.

Deadly Patterns – ToxicogenomicsClassroom tested lesson
The process of identifying toxins and carcinogens is quite laborious and can take years and the costs can swell into the millions of dollars. Ken Olden of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is leading the way in a new field of science called toxicogenomics. Utilizing the information from The Human Genome Project, Olden and colleagues are studying genetic responses to certain chemicals thought to be dangerous. The goal is to create a database of how organisms respond to harmful chemicals which could help researchers and drug developers save considerable amounts of time and money.
Episode: 3 | Show: 149 | Length: 5 min. 37 sec.

Facts of Life – Gender DeterminationClassroom tested lesson
David Page at the Whitehead Institute is studying the Y chromozone – the one that’ll make a man out of you. The study of the “Y” reveals much more than maleness. It tells why only men are prone to certain diseases, and how the set number of genes on the “Y” seems to be responsible for a lot of very “male” behavior.
Episode: 1 | Show: 106 | Length: 8 min

Fighting Fat – New Ways to WinClassroom tested lesson
Scientists love to argue, but there is one thing they agree on: Americans are getting fatter. Obesity is now considered a disease, and it is reaching epidemic proportions all over the world. Researchers at VCU are tackling the problem with a novel, genetic approach. By isolating the genes that keep people thin, they identify biological pathways that contribute to high metabolism — raising hopes for therapy for the obese.
Episode: 1 | Show: 122 | Length: 10 min. 34 sec.

First Shot – VaccinationsClassroom tested lesson
Vaccines do protect us from diseases but are they all that benign. Vaccine protection may exact a price on both individual and public health. The question has become, which is more dangerous – the threat of smallpox or the actual smallpox vaccine?
Episode: 1 | Show: 121 | Length: 11 min. 10 sec.

For Personal Use Only – Individualized DrugsClassroom tested lesson
The research in genetics promises a revolution in pharmaceuticals. Right now there are high hopes, some exciting possibilities but few real therapies. In this segment we will survey the ways in which genetic information might be able to prevent and treat disease ... from vaccines to sprays to gene therapy. The ultimate dream is the ability to create specific, individualized drugs that are effective and have no side effects.
Episode: 2 | Show: 130 | Length: 8 min. 54 sec.

From Slime to Sublime – Evolutionary PathsClassroom tested lesson
While we are similar to our fellow man in size and shape, there are many differences at the molecular level. Gene mutations and the process of natural selection are responsible for who — and what — we are and will become. The genetic combination of such creatures as butterflies and lobsters are beginning to yield some fascinating insights of just how parallel our evolutionary paths may be.
Episode: 2 | Show: 141 | Length: 11 min. 21 sec.

Got Silk? – Biotech ApplicationsClassroom tested lesson
Imagine spinning goat milk into spider silk five times stronger than steel! Scientists have found a way to put a whole new spin on genetic research. It’s called biomimicry. Scientists are now able to mimic a spider’s web by breeding goats with spider genes in their mammary cells. The goat’s milk contains a protein that can be spun and stretched into a fine silk fit to cover Spiderman – the spidergoat is here.
Episode: 1 | Show: 133 | Length: 9 min. 7 sec.

Heal Thyself – Research CareersClassroom tested lesson
A the age of three, Kyle Rattray developed a rare child-onset cancer of the kidney called Wilm’s tumor. The experience, which he survived, has directed his life to cancer research. Today, Kyle is a sophomore at MIT, taking biology from Professor Eric Lander and working on a research project in Professor David Housman’s lab – research aimed at cancer.
Episode: 3 | Show: 148 | Length: 9 min. 4 sec.

In the Blood – LeukemiaClassroom tested lesson
Leukemias are cancers of the blood - what scientists call “liquid tumors” – unlike the solid tumors in the tissues attacked by other cancers. George Daley has dedicated his career to cracking the mysteries of leukemia. He has had limited success and is now doing research on the use of stem cells from a patient‘s bone marrow.
Episode: 3 | Show: 123 | Length: 10 min. 25 sec.

Justice DNA – Freeing the InnocentClassroom tested lesson
Forensics is the application of science to legal problems. In 1984, British geneticist Alec Jefferies developed DNA profiling and it has been shaking up the process of solving crimes ever since.
Episode: 1 | Show: 115 | Length: 12 min. 19 sec.

Malaria – Researching New SolutionsLesson available for trial testing
It is one of the world’s deadliest and least understood diseases. But researchers are using fruit flies as surrogate mosquitoes to analyze this tiny, tropical parasite. By breaking it down genetically, their work could lead to better anti-malarial drugs and vaccines and, potentially, malaria-resistant mosquitoes.
Episode: 1 | Show: 108 | Length: 8 min. 46 sec.

Naming the Dead – Forensic IdentificationClassroom tested lesson
Genetic science is bringing closure to Bosnian families still missing loved ones after the country's devastating war. Forensic detectives are using the latest DNA analysis techniques to identify bodies and help solve the mystery of what happened to thousands of victims.
Episode: 1 | Show: 103 | Length: 9 min. 52 sec.

Night of the Twisted Helix – Mutations and Natural SelectionClassroom tested lesson
We are all mutants under the skin. Some mutations are good, some are bad. Some give us special abilities. Some kill us with diseases such as cancer. These mutations, also called polymorphisms, drive the process of life. It is less how the genome is spelled than how it is misspelled that makes all the difference. And the human genome, far from being a fixed target, is a fluid, dynamic, evolving, variable mutating code and is constantly updating what we are.
Episode: 2 | Show: 135 | Length: 9 min. 21 sec.

On Aggression – What Makes Us FightClassroom tested lesson
Ed Kravitz doesn’t want to control the masses or create super soldiers but he does want to understand the complex genetic circuitry of aggression responsive behavior. He’s studying the genetics of aggression by observing aggression in flies and lobsters.
Episode: 1 | Show: 102 | Length: 9 min 35 sec

On Down – Down SyndromeClassroom tested lesson
Scientists have known for some time that Down Syndrome, the most common chromosomal abnormality, is caused by an additional chromosome #21. However, new fetal stem cell research is demonstrating that it is not only the presence of this additional chromosome, but also what the genes are missing, that may impede the development of a Down Syndrome brain.
Episode: 3 | Show: 110 | Length: 9 min 21 sec

Perfect Pitch – The Musical GeneClassroom tested lesson
DNA is the biochemical blueprint that is the basis for the expression of all physical traits. But is it responsible for the expression of artistry as well? This episode explores the genetic basis for one of the most amazing of all artistic gifts, absolute pitch. Dr. Jane Gitschier, who was trained as a classical opera singer, is trying to find the gene or genes responsible for perfect pitch. Dr. Gitschier and her colleagues are hoping to determine whether perfect or absolute pitch is inherited or a consequence of gene and environmental interaction.
Episode: 3 | Show: 129 | Length: 9 min. 13 sec.

Quick Fix – Smoking in the GenesClassroom tested lesson
Why do some smokers become addicted to nicotine and others do not? And does the tendency to smoke run in families? Researchers are conducting studies on identical twins – some smokers, some non-smokers – to help determine the heritability of nicotine addiction. Identical twins have identical genomes, so if one of the twins is a smoker it is likely that the sibling will be a smoker, too. By studying their metabolic reactions to the nicotine, the scientists expect to learn whether addiction is more a matter of character, environment or the gene itself.
Episode: 2 | Show: 151 | Length: 9 min. 31 sec.

Rhythm and Snooze – Circadian GenesClassroom tested lesson
We know that our sleep-wake patterns are regulated by our circadian rhythm — our internal clock. And now doctors are learning more about a set of genes responsible for making this clock tick. They also are discovering the circadian rhythms for vital organs — working in unison to create a living, breathing, walking clock. This system of “circadian genes” is responsible for regulating the sleep-wake cycle of other genes as we are proving that one’s body is comprised of a series of circadian rhythms. This scientific research could lead to new ways of treating those of us who are night owls or daytime larks.
Episode: 1 | Show: 146 | Length: 9 min. 51 sec.

Risk-taking Genes – Genes, Environment, or Both?Classroom tested lesson
What makes someone want to be a skydiver, a fighter pilot, a racecar driver? Is it in the genes? What is it about high-risk behavior that gives some people a thrill and terrifies others? For those who love “living on the edge,” it’s a critical part of life. Without their thrill-seeking hobbies, depression or more serious illnesses can set in.
Episode: 3 | Show: 113 | Length: 7 min. 49 sec.

Rover Redefined – Pet GeneticsClassroom tested lesson
Mapping the genome has been much in the news. Researchers have charted the complete human genome, the cow genome, even the genome of the bubonic plague microbe. The latest animal to have its microscopic genetic code revealed is man’s best friend – the dog. The resulting map will be of great value to dog’s best friend – us. Because the canine genome is very similar to ours, it provides an unusually powerful research tool. Scientifically, dogs are useful because they have many litters, dozens and dozens of offspring and because dogs have been carefully bred for centuries by kennel owners who have kept accurate records.
Episode: 3 | Show: 127 | Length: 11 min 12 sec

Salt of the Earth – Engineering Salt-tolerant PlantsClassroom tested lesson
With the world population at six billion people and counting, a food supply is an ever-increasing concern. Meanwhile, 25 million acres of productive agricultural land are being lost each year as the soil becomes increasingly salty. We could face a substantial shortage. The question is: should we fix the soils or alter the genetics of plants? Eduardo Blumwald at the University of California has genetically engineered a plant to endure salty soils. His transgenic creation borrows a specific salt-tolerant gene for the lowly cabbage plant.
Episode: 3 | Show: 145 | Length: 8 min. 56 sec.

Send in the Marines – Help from the OceanClassroom tested lesson
We know that the mouse genome, so similar to a human’s, is a component of multiple human-related biological studies. But can sea creatures be helpful research partners, too? In 1998, the Marine Biological lab sent three toadfish up on the Discovery with John Glenn to study the effects of weightlessness and space travel on humans. In our visit to the MBL, we learn that toadfish and people have virtually identical inner ears – one of many examples of a shared evolution found in the marine environment.
Episode: 2 | Show: 148 | Length: 8 min. 47 sec.

Sickle Cell Anemia – Hope from Gene TherapyClassroom tested lesson
This inherited red blood cell disorder is the most common genetic disease in America, and one of the most painful and debilitating. Until now, bone marrow and cord blood transplants have been the only treatment available to patients, and matched donors are hard to find. But an experiment at Genetix in Cambridge, Massachusetts is raising hopes. By treating the bone marrow of mice with anti-sickling gene therapy, scientists saw great improvement in normal red blood production.
Episode: 2 | Show: 108 | Length: 10 min. 4 sec.

Six-legged Spies – Bugs, Bombs and BioaccumulationClassroom tested lesson
Insects are everywhere, on everything, in everything — which makes them a terrific first line of detection for biological weapons attack. Bugs sample the environment thoroughly — if it’s out there, it’s on the insects. Spectrometry, PCR and genetic analysis turn them into weapons against bioterrorrism.
Episode: 2 | Show: 104 | Length: 5 min. 19 sec.

Skin Deep? – Race and DiseaseClassroom tested lesson
What’s the connection between genes and race? It’s a loaded issue but one which scientists – and society – will have to deal with as genetic research advances. Many scientists believe geographical origins are more relevant to variations in human genomes than racial makeup. Nevertheless, researchers are finding genetic diseases that are more prevalent in particular racial groups. And drug research has shown that reactions to certain medications differ between racial groups.
Episode: 3 | Show: 139 | Length: 10 min. 3 sec.

Spry Worms – Aging GenesClassroom tested lesson
Cynthia Kenyon’s roundworms at the University of California, San Francisco have defied the grim reaper. They’re living twice as long as they should. Why? It’s in the genes.
Episode: 3 | Show: 126 | Length: 7 min 17 sec

Sugar Rays – Evolutionary Plant TheoriesClassroom tested lesson
Sugar created from rays of sunlight! It goes on everywhere from sun up to sun down. During photosynthesis, the green pigment in plants, known as chlorophyll, ingests carbon dioxide and converts it to stored energy in the form of carbohydrates and sugars while emitting oxygen. By examining the genomes of certain green-colored bacteria, scientists are looking back in time to study our beginnings. They are finding out that life actually began in a poisonous atmosphere, where organisms, over millions of years, slowly learned the process of producing oxygen. Evidence of this change is literally etched in stone…
Episode: 2 | Show: 150 | Length: 9 min. 8 sec.

Super Bugs – Bacterial Drug ResistanceClassroom tested lesson
We are under attack — by germs. Drug-resistant bacteria are invading organisms, and hospitals are their favorite breeding ground. Scientists are studying the genetics of bacteria and trying to find out how to stop the invasion.
Episode: 1 | Show: 119 | Length: 9 min. 45 sec.

Sweet Genes – A Very Sweet ProteinClassroom tested lesson
There’s a new sugar in town – 200 times sweeter than its predecessor. Thanks to genetic research, scientists have found a way to synthesize berries of the West African Brazzein plant, and manipulate its protein.
Episode: 1 | Show: 107 | Length: 8 min 58 sec

Testing Zygosity – Are They Identical or Not?Classroom tested lesson
Joe and Jason are twins, but they were never sure if they were fraternal or identical. There were a lot of differences between them. We test them to find out if they were fraternal twins or monozygotic, commonly known as identical.
Episode: 2 | Show: 110 | Length: 8 min. 57 sec.

The Case of the Bad Hives – Genetically Engineered HoneybeesClassroom tested lesson
Dogs aside, you might consider the honeybee man’s best friend. Not only does it produce honey and wax but it also pollinates fruits and vegetables. However, the honeybee is in grave danger from something called foulbrood disease, as well as a dozen other pathogens and parasites. Should this insect succumb, the loss to American agriculture would be catastrophic. Scientists at the USDA are fighting to save the honeybee by mapping its genome, and they are closing in on certain disease-resistant genes. A genetically engineered, disease-resistant honeybee would certainly cause a buzz …
Episode: 1 | Show: 142 | Length: 9 min. 33 sec.

The Chosen Child – Screening Genetic ContentClassroom tested lesson
Genetic research involving human embryos has been a sensitive area of investigation. A process called Pre-embryonic Genetic Diagnosis, or PGD, is a procedure available at a few infertility clinics that allows parents to screen future embryos for potential disorders. But is it also the beginning of designer babies?
Episode: 1 | Show: 127 | Length: 9 min. 21 sec.

The Cloning Conflict – Parkinson’s DiseaseClassroom tested lesson
Ole Isakson has cured Parkinson’s with stem cells – in mice. But to translate that success to humans, he needs to do a lot more research with human embryonic stem cells. To what extent does the present climate dampen research, and how does that impact patients, physically and emotionally?
Episode: 1 | Show: 109 | Length: 5 min 48 sec

The Diabetes Cure – Creating HopeClassroom tested lesson
Dr. Aaron Vinik of Eastern Virginia Medical School may have found a protein that cures diabetes. By probing the gene that makes insulin, Vinik discovered INGAP, which when injected into diabetic animals increased their insulin levels and lowered glucose levels. Human clinical trails have just begun, creating hope for the 130 million diabetics all over the world.
Episode: 3 | Show: 106 | Length: 8 min 47 sec

The Secret of Life – Discovery of DNA StructureClassroom tested lesson
Fifty years ago, James Watson and Francis Crick announced to patrons in a Cambridge pub that they had just discovered the secret of life. Their discovery was that the DNA double helix explained how cells divide and develop. Yet it was not enlightened genius alone that propelled Watson and Crick toward this fundamental revelation. In addition they were building on the work of other scientists and a fortuitous (and un-acknowledged at the time) collaboration with Rosalind Franklin, a British X-Ray crystallographer, was of crucial help in this great achievement.
Episode: 1 | Show: 149 | Length: 9 min. 12 sec.

Tissue Engineering – Building Body PartsClassroom tested lesson
Replacing organs or tissues with lab-created counterparts; engineered kidneys, livers and hearts. Science fiction? Not any more – scientists are already successfully growing all kinds of organs and tissues in the lab.
Episode: 2 | Show: 112 | Length: 7 min 44 sec

To Hear – Genetic DeafnessClassroom tested lesson
Maureen and Jim Hynes are the parents of two healthy, hearing children. This surprised them because both are deaf. Thanks to genetic testing, predicting deafness is easier. The numbers of deaf people aren’t decreasing though — quite the opposite. Many deaf parents are choosing to have deaf children. This segment looks at the science and the controversy behind genetic deafness.
Episode: 3 | Show: 102 | Length: 8 min. 35 sec.

What If? A world without code – DNAClassroom tested lesson
James Watson and Francis Crick, the co-discoverers of the DNA double helix, changed the world forever when they unveiled their now familiar molecular model 50 years ago. Utilizing the data from previous biological research, Watson and Crick conceived a beautiful structure that explained how living things grow. Renowned geneticists and researchers discuss the significance of the double helix and pay tribute to its inventors, as well as ponder where we might be without this fundamental research.
Episode: 1 | Show: 148 | Length: 9 min. 7 sec.

Xenografts – Alternative TransplantsClassroom tested lesson
How realistic is the idea that pigs may eventually make up the void in organs needed for transplants in humans? Will genetically modifying the pig by inducing tolerance in patients be enough to make the grafts possible, or will such challenges prove to be insurmountable?
Episode: 2 | Show: 113 | Length: 8 min. 14 sec.