Starter quiz
- How are characteristics inherited?
- By exposure to sunlight.
- By learning from the environment.
- Through diet and exercise.
- Through the transmission of genes from parents to offspring. ✓
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- What is a non-communicable disease?
- A disease caused by bacteria.
- A disease that is always fatal.
- A disease that is not infectious and cannot be spread from person to person. ✓
- A disease that spreads through air.
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- What does 'risk' mean in health contexts?
- The absence of any health concerns.
- The certainty of getting a disease.
- The effectiveness of a treatment.
- The probability of developing a disease or condition. ✓
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- What is an example of a non-communicable disease?
- Diabetes ✓
- Influenza
- Malaria
- Tuberculosis
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- What is a carrier of a genetic characteristic?
- An individual who has one copy of a recessive allele. ✓
- An individual with no alleles.
- An individual with only one allele.
- An individual with two dominant alleles.
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- What does it mean if a disease is hereditary in terms of genetic characteristics?
- It affects only one generation.
- It can be passed from parents to offspring through genes. ✓
- It is caused by bacteria.
- It spreads through contact.
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Exit quiz
- What is one step involved in the genetic testing process?
- Analysing the gene sequence using a microscope.
- Extracting DNA from a sample. ✓
- Injecting genes into a subject.
- Growing cells in a petri dish.
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- Who interprets the results of genetic tests?
- Dieticians
- Genetic counsellors ✓
- Meteorologists
- Physical trainers
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- Why is informed consent important in genetic testing?
- To reduce the cost of testing.
- To ensure individuals understand the implications of the test. ✓
- To make the test more accurate.
- To speed up the testing process.
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- What is a potential misuse of genetic test data?
- Developing new treatments.
- Discrimination by employers or insurers. ✓
- Enhancing physical fitness.
- Improving patient care.
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- What does genome sequencing determine?
- The blood type of an individual.
- The complete DNA sequence of an organism's genome. ✓
- The level of white blood cells.
- The protein structure in cells.
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- How can healthcare be personalised through genetic testing?
- By tailoring treatments based on an individual's genetic profile. ✓
- By creating generalised treatment plans for all patients.
- By using the same medication for every patient.
- By avoiding the use of patient medical history.
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Some alleles affect health (e.g. increase the risk of non-communicable diseases or adverse reactions to treatments).
- Genetic testing and genome sequencing can identify the presence of these alleles in a person’s genome.
- Healthcare can be personalised and lifestyle changes can be implemented to decrease risk and improve health.
- Genetic test data could be misused, and its use must be regulated.
Common misconception
Thinking that an allele that increases the risk of a disease makes it certain to happen.
The lesson explores the idea the alleles can be risk factors for disease, and that in many cases other factors also affect the risk.
Keywords
Risk - the chance that an outcome (usually a negative one) will occur
Allele - different version of a gene, which can produce a different characteristic in the organism’s phenotype
Genetic testing - processes that look for the presence of particular alleles in the DNA of an organism’s genome
Genome sequencing - the process of reading the sequence of nucleotide bases (A, T, C and G) in the DNA of the genome
Personalised medicine - healthcare tailored to a person’s individual risk of ill health
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