Genetics is a field of science that
investigates traits that are able to be passed on between generations, also
known as being heritable. These traits are encoded in genes, which are packed
into 46 chromosomes. Imagine this
information is an instruction manual on how the human body works. The genes are the words, the
chromosomes are the chapters and the molecular chemicals work as punctuation to
tell the body how to express its unique blueprint.
- Fast Fact: The human genome contains approximately 23,000 genes, and is largely similar to the genome of a mouse (that's why mice are often used in laboratories to study human diseases).
A gene is a region of DNA, in which information is stored as a code made up of four chemical
bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C) and thymine (T). It is the sequence of these four bases along the DNA that encodes the information. These bases are like letters that form words (genes).
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| DNA is a double helix formed by base-pairs attached to a sugar-phosphate backbone. (iStock - Martin McCarthy) |
- Fast Fact: Human DNA consists of about three billion bases, and 99 per cent of their sequence is identical in all people.
The areas of medicine that Genetic Counsellors most often
assist in are:
Prenatal care — this
involves the screening of pregnant women and their babies to prepare the
parents for any possible genetic abnormalities.
Congenital Disorders
— investigating medical problems and searching for the genetic causes.
Cancer studies —
examining family histories for patterns of cancer and determining appropriate
tests to help in preventative care or treatment.
Most genetic counselors in Canada have a graduate degree in
genetic counseling and take an examination to be certified with the Canadian
Association of Genetic Counsellors (CAGC).
So if you enjoy both molecular biology
and personal interaction, this career path may be for you. As the study of
genetics continues to progress you may be one step closer to finding out what
you really inherited from your parents!
