Genetic Diseases Research Pathfinder

WJHS Pathfinder for Honors Biology

Genetic Diseases

Assignment

Topics

Searching the Shelves

Learning Research
Hub

Internet Sites

Assignment

In the Spring of 2000, a conference will be held to help determine funding for medical
research. You are an expert who has been asked to present to the panel testimony
regarding the genetic disease you have been researching. You will have five minutes
to present your research and to elicit continued funding for your research. To aid
in your preparation for the conference, the following topics should be addressed
and outlined on a poster.

    1. Symptoms of the Disease
    2. Frequency in the Population
    3. Chromosome Affected
    4. Inheritance Pattern
    5. Medical Treatments
    6. Future Prospects: Discuss current genetic research that you would to see continue
                                    or research that you would like to do in the future.
    7. Bibliography: You must use (and correctly document) at least three sources.
                              (See Works Cited Format)

In presenting your disease to the panel, be creative but to the point. Cover all of the
above points to insure a complete understanding of the points you have researched.
DO NOT READ YOUR RESEARCH. KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT YOUR DISEASE
TO TELL THE PANEL ABOUT IT IN AN ORGANIZED WAY.

In summary, you are to complete the following for this project:

    1. An oral presentation, as outlined above.
    2. A poster describing this disease the covers the above topics.
    3. An interview (audio, video, notes from a telephone conversation, or an
         e-mail correspondence with one of the following:

                A. A Scientist studying the disease.
                B. A physician who treats patients with this disease
                C. An individual who has this disease, or a family member
                     who knows personally the effects of the disease.
             OR
                D. A video clip about this disease from a movie or television show.

Instructor: Mr. Rogers 3/00

Topics

Adrenoleukodystrophy	Familial Hypercholesterolemia	Maple Syrup Urine Disease	Schizophrenia
Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis	Fragile X Syndrome	Marfan's Syndrome	Scoliosis
Bipolar Syndrome (Manic Depression)	Galactosemia	Phenylketonuria	Sickle-cell Anemia
Charcot Marie Tooth Disease	Gaucher's Disease	Polycystic Kidney Disease	Tay-Sachs Disease
Cystic Fibrosis	Hemophilia	Severe Combined Immunodeficiency	Thalassemia
Diabetes Mellitus	Huntington's Chorea	Neurofibromatosis	Tourette's Syndrome
Down's Syndrome	Hurler's Syndrome	Paget Disease	Xeroderma Pigmentosum
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy	Klinefelter's Syndrome	Progeria
Epilepsy	Lupus Erythematosus (Systemic)	Retinitis Pigmentosis

Searching the Shelves

All computers in the library can access the Media Center's Electronic Card Catalog. It is located
on the Global Access Menu under Media Center Programs. The Catalog identifies all the holdings
(books, etc.) of the WJHS Media Center. It is also possible to search for materials on the
MCPS Library Catalog Online. Be sure to set the limits of your search to Walter Johnson HS only.

If you wish to expand your research use this link to Other Libraries. This link provides direct
connections to the Montgomery County Public Library system, as well as libraries at NIH,
University of Maryland, the Library of Congress and others.

For this assignment, information about diseases can be found downstairs in the
616 section of the library.

Learning Research Hub

Walter Johnson’s Learning Research Hub provides access to a catalog of all books and materials
located in the Media Center, and to a wide variety of general and subject-based online reference
materials. The links below provide useful research tools for this project.

General Resources*
Encyclopedia, Almanacs, Dictionaries, Atlases

Science Resources*

News & Magazine Resources

* When using GaleNet select: DISCovering Science

Internet Sites

Use the following Internet Sites for information on this project. If you discover other useful
Internet sites complete the Internet Checklist (copies available in Media Center) to authenticate
the site.

Genetic Disease Information --pronto!

Office of Rare Diseases