UNIT ONE
Basic Genetics: A Starting Point

Unit Overview

Many ethical and policy issues are being raised by advances in genetic research and clinical testing. In order to make informed decisions about these issues, an understanding of basic genetics is required. This unit is designed to give you that basis. You will be asked to review basic material about genetics and the Human Genome Project (HGP). Then you will be asked to think about your current opinions about some ethical issues tied to current research. This exercise is designed to give you a benchmark of your current opinions. In this way you will be able to gage your progress as you consider the variety of ethical and policy issues presented in this course.

After the basic scientific information has been presented, the unit focuses on Genetics, Disease & Theology; Communities & Genetic Testing; Genetic Information & the Variation of Life; and the Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP).
The material entitled Genetics, Disease and Theology is a discussion on how disease affects humans and other living species. The focus of this discussion is on how scientific findings has linked genetics to disease in both humans and other species. The findings have revealed that diseases affect humans and other living species in the same way.

The section entitled Communities and Genetic Testing addresses some of the implications of individuals in a homogenous community divulging their genetic information. When one of the members of these communities submits to genetic testing, they are essentially providing genetic information about their whole community without the community’s consent and knowledge. This information does not remain within the scientific realm, and as a result issues of workplace, marital, and insurance discrimination are coming to the forefront. More specifically this subunit focuses on the Ashkenazi Jewish community, a very homozygous genetic group composing approximately 80% of the world Jewery, and the gay community, who are bound together by their sexual orientation.

The section entitled Usage of Genetic Information for the Variation of Life
examines what happens when we begin to use genetic information to influence life? This section examines what sorts of procedures have been developed to help us do that. The details of several topics from prenatal testing, to natural conception alternatives will be discussed along with their ethical and theological repercussions.

The unit also studies the Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP), a research project with the goal of providing a comprehensive study of genetic diversity across varying human populations. Ultimately, the HGDP will help show the evolution of certain genomes within a population and also work to understand how specific diseases are genetically linked to specific populations.

Throughout the unit you will be asked questions designed to help you consider a variety of issues related to the schema presented in the course overview. Please keep them in mind:

• Species Solidarity: What humans share with other creatures.
• Species Unity: What humans share that makes us distinct from other creatures.
• Individuation: How each individual is unique.
• Image of God: What humans and parts of creation share with God.
• Pervasiveness of Sin: What separates humans from what is good.
• Redemption and Resurrection: What the source of healing and new life is.