Hacking Inheritance

The Genetic Age is upon us, with the ability to precisely edit the genomes of organisms in our hands. But should we? In this course we will explore the myriad ways gene-editing is used to address global crises in agriculture, public health, and more. Using both primary literature and popular press, we will dive into the history, innovations, and ethical concerns related to gene-editing efforts in medicine, neurobiology, and biotechnology to then predict the next frontiers of the field. Student work will reflect effective scientific communication to experts, non-experts, and policy makers. (BIOL 0145 and one of the following: BIOL 305 or BIOL 314 or BIOL 318 or BIOL 324 or BIOL 331 or BIOL 345 or BIOL 365 or CHEM 322 or NSCI 235 or NSCI 251)