This guide was prepared for Iowa public school teachers attending the Plant Genomics Outreach program directed by Dr. Adah Leshem-Ackerman.
If you would like to learn more about. . .
There are many departments at ISU involved in bioinformatics and genomics research. This list highlights some of the departments and genome projects at ISU.
Biopharmaceutical Glossary - Links to many specialized glossaries (e.g. Cancer Genomics, Omes and -omics Glossary)
GeneTests Glossary - part of the GeneTests website. Many definitions include illustrations and brief case examples.
Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms - "The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) created the Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms to help people without scientific backgrounds understand the terms and concepts used in genetic research." Definitions are accompanied by illustrations.
Profiles in Science - National Library of Medicine
The Wellcome Trust: The Crick Papers - "Explore an online showcase of papers from Francis Crick's archive."
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Library - Features James D. Watson archives and other online exhibits.
Linus Pauling and the Race for DNA - An online archive hosted by Valley Library at Oregon State University.
Library and Archival Exhibitions on the Web - There are a number of digital exhibitions related to science and medicine.
Oral
History of Human Genetics Project - "Established in 2001 by Professor
Edward R. B. McCabe, MD at UCLA, the project is an interdisciplinary and multi-institutional
collaboration dedicated to the documentation of preservation of the history
of human genetics." This is a growing collection of oral
histories.
Milestones in Genetics:
Timeline - Part of the Online Education Kit: Understanding the Human Genome
Project
multimedia download page. Hosted by the The National Human Genome Research Institute.
Lots of great resources.
Major
Events in the U.S. Human Genome Project and Related Projects
A Historical Timeline: Cracking the Code of Life - Historical timeline as presented by the JGI: US Department of Energy, Joint Genome Institute.
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
NLM Databases and Electronic Resources - A complete listing and description of NLM databases.
PubMed - PubMed provides free access to MEDLINE, NLM's bibliographic database of citations and abstracts from nearly 4500 biomedical journals published in the United States and worldwide. Coverage extends back to the mid-1960s.
PubMed Bookshelf - A growing collection of biomedical textbooks.
MedlinePlus - NLMs website for consumer health information.
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) - National resource for molecular biology information. The NCBI was created in 1988; it is a division of the National Library of Medicine.
NCBI Resource Guide - A complete listing of the NCBI resources.
A Science Primer - The Primer provides a nice overview of molecular biology and genetics.
Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man - This database is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders.
Genetics Home Reference: Your Guide to Understanding Genetic Conditions - A consumer health guide about genetic conditions.
Resources for Science Teachers (2 page PDF) - Compiled by the National Library of Medicine. Classroom resources related to biology, chemistry, genetics, Spanish-language resources, careers, health, and environmental science.
There are a growing number of journal collections that offer free access to the full-text.
BioLine International - "Bioline International is a not-for-profit electronic publishing service committed to providing open access to quality research journals published in developing countries. Peer-reviewed journals from Brazil, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
BioMedCentral - "BioMed Central is an independent publishing house committed to providing immediate open access to peer-reviewed biomedical research." Click on "Journals A-Z" for a complete list of BMC journals.
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
HighWire Press - hosted by Stanford University
Public Library of Science (PLoS) - home of PLoS Biology, PLoS Medicine, PLoS Computational Biology, PLoS Genetics, PLoS Pathogens, and PLoS Clinical Trials.
PubMed Central: A free archive of life sciences journals. You can access the first issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, published in 1915. Many journals are in the process of being digitized.
Back to topThe Core Historical Literature of Agriculture - Hosted by Cornell University. " The Core Historical Literature of Agriculture (CHLA) is a core electronic collection of agricultural texts published between the early nineteenth century and the middle to late twentieth century. Full-text materials cover agricultural economics, agricultural engineering, animal science, crops and their protection, food science,forestry, human nutrition, rural sociology, and soil science. Scholars have selected the titles in this collection for their historical importance. "
Electronic Scholarly Publishing - Includes several classic texts about genetics.
The National Academies Press - Read more than 3,000 books online FREE! “The National Academies Press (NAP) was created by the National Academies to publish the reports issued by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council, all operating under a charter granted by the Congress of the United States. NAP publishes over 200 books a year on a wide range of topics in science, engineering, and health, capturing the most authoritative views on important issues in science and health policy.”
On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection - by Charles Darwin
The Online Books Page - The University of Pennsylvania maintains an extensive listing of freely available electronic books. The site is updated frequently.
Plant Physiology Online - An online companion
to Plant Physiology, Fourth Edition (2006), by Lincoln Taiz and Eduardo
Zeiger. Published by Sinauer Associates.
PubMed Bookshelf
- A growing collection of biomedical textbooks. Includes the fourth edition
of Molecular Biology of the Cell by Lodish.
The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online - "This website is the largest collection of writings by and about Darwin ever published. It contains Darwin's complete publications, hundreds of handwritten manuscripts and the largest Darwin bibliography and manuscript catalogue."
Back to topA collection of web sites related to news about science. Some offer daily or weekly e-mail news alerts.
SciCentral - Gateway to the best scientific research news sources
GeneRef.com- Science News, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Nanotechnology News
Genomics and Health Weekly Update - weekly updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sign-up to receive the update by email.
Biotech Adventure - Developed by Oklahoma State University. "An educational web site designed to present the factual information regarding biotechnology in a way that will entertain both students and adults."
DNA: The Secret of Life - Produced by PBS - Available on DVD or VHS. There are 5 DVDs entitled Curing Cancer, Secret of Life, Playing God, Human Race, & Pandora's Box. "Two British scientists surprised a pub crowd with news they'd discovered the "secret of life" 50 years. James Watson and Francis Crick unleashed a revolution in biology with their discovery of DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecular basis of heredity. In this compelling five-part series, interviews, rare film footage, custom graphics and state-of-the-art animation bring the tiny "double helix" to brilliant life. Narrated by Jeff Goldblum." Note: In 2009, PBS made some of its content available online; some NOVA and Nature programs are available for free, online viewing.DNA Interactive DVD - Great animations. "DVD has more than 200 video clips and animations for approximately four hours of viewing."
DNA Molecular Animation. - Freely available on the Web. These animations were created for DNA interactive and the PBS series, DNA. The animations do not have narration or text labels.
Microarrays MediaBook - Description from NetWatch column, Science Volume 314, Number 5798, Issue of 20 October 2006. "Undergraduates can get up to speed on gene chips with the Microarrays MediaBook, a snazzy animated tutorial hosted by biology professor A. Malcolm Campbell of Davidson College in North Carolina. Using the example of yeast cells growing with and without oxygen, the site leads readers through the basics of making and interpreting microarrays. Students can then dig deeper into techniques for analyzing results. They can learn about hierarchical clustering to identify genes that might work together and the significance of fold changes, the alteration in gene activity compared with controls."
Online Education Kit: Understanding the Human Genome Project - There are several modules available to download. The following files may be downloaded: Timeline; Our Molecular Selves video; How to Sequence a Genome animations; Bioinformatics; Genes, Variation, and Human History; Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications; and links to Articles of Interest.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute - "The Institute is a nonprofit medical research organization that employs hundreds of leading biomedical scientists working at the forefront of their fields. In addition, through its grants program and other activities, HHMI is helping to enhance science education at all levels and maintain the vigor of biomedical science worldwide.” The HHMI Publications catalog contains free publications, videos, and DVDs. Biointeractive is a virtual laboratory.
Inner Life of the Cell - created by Harvard University. Click on "Media" (bottom right), then on "Inner Life" View the Animation Superspeed Version" (top left).
Secrets of Plant Genomes Revealed - Learn about the genomes of cotton, potatoes, and corn. From the National Science Foundation and Iowa State University.
Virtual Cell Animation Collection - "This project is an initiative of the North Dakota State University (NDSU) World Wide Web Instructional Committee (WWWIC). WWWIC is a multi-disciplinary faculty group engaged in developing science education tools that communicate both discipline-specific content and the scientific method. Principal among these are role-based, goal-oriented, learner-oriented, immersive, and exploratory virtual/visual educational enviroments." A collection of animations intended for beginning to advanced students at the college level.
PCR Animations
DNA Sequencing
Association of College and University Biology Educators - The Association of College & University Biology Educators focuses on undergraduate and graduate biology education.
National Association of Biology Teachers
National Science Teachers Association
Scholarly Societies Project - Scholarly societies can be a great source of information. Many contain links to educational resources and career information.
Back to topCareerOneStop - "a U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored Web site that offers career resources and workforce information to job seekers, students, businesses, and workforce professionals to foster talent development in a global economy."
Career Voyages - This site is a joint effort between the US Department of Labor and the US Department of Education. The site contains information about careers and includes a large collection of freely accessible short videos on various occupations.
Guide to Biotechnology - This gives a very nice overview of the biotechnology field. While it does not mention specific careers, the site includes statistics and discusses numerous biotechnology applications including agriculture, food, environment, and health care.
Occupational Outlook Handbook - "The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. Revised every two years, the Handbook describes what workers do on the job, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings, and expected job prospects in a wide range of occupations."
LifeWorks - This site is hosted by the National Institutes of Health and the Office of Science Education. Contains information about health and medical science careers. Includes interviews.
Back to topAccess Excellence - The site for health and bioscience teachers and learners. “Access Excellence, launched in 1993, is a national educational program that provides health, biology and life science teachers access to their colleagues, scientists, and critical sources of new scientific information via the World Wide Web.”
ActionBioscience.org - Hosted by the American Institute of Biological Sciences. There are links to lesson plans and other resources.
AMSER: Applied Math and Science Education Repository - "AMSER (the Applied Math and Science Education Repository) is a portal of educational resources and services built specifically for use by those in Community and Technical Colleges – but free for anyone to use."
ben: BioSciEdNet - Searchable portal site for biology education resources. Managed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Registration is required.
BioEd Online: Biology Teacher Resources from the Baylor College of Medicine - This site is a partnership between the Baylor College of Medicine and Texas A&M University. The site includes: online presentations, slide sets that can be downloaded, and other teacher resources. "The Molecular Basis for Genetic Variation" is the latest slide set available for download.
Biotechnology Institute - “The Biotechnology Institute is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to education and research about the present and future impact of biotechnology. We offer educational and research programs for teachers, students, opinion leaders and general audiences to raise awareness and understanding of biotechnology. The Biotechnology Institute publishes Your World: Biotechnology & You, the premier biotechnology magazine for grades 7 to 12, twice a year. Your World combines balanced, in-depth information on a single topic with an online teacher's guide that contains links to National Education Standards, tips on how to use the magazine, and additional exercises. Your World is an indispensable tool for bringing biotechnology into the classroom!"
BioTrek
- BioTrek is The Science Outreach Program of the Biotechnology Center of the
University of Wisconsin-Madison and of University of Wisconsin-Extension. Click
on "Teaching Tools" for links to handouts, posters, etc.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory - “CSHL is a research and educational institution. The Laboratory has research programs focusing on cancer, neurobiology, plant genetics, genomics and bioinformatics, and a broad educational mission, including the recently established Watson School of Biological Sciences.” Click on the link to the Dolan DNA Learning Center from the homepage.
Digital World Biology - This site includes online tutorials and other tutorials. The site is maintained by Dr. Sandra Porter, a molecular biologist and bioinformatics. Her blog, Discovering Biology in a Digital World, often contains teaching tips.
DOEgenomes.org - Genome programs of the US Department of Energy Office of Science. Founder of the Human Genome Project and leader in systems biology research. Numerous links to educational resources for teachers, media, and ethical issues. This site has been recently updated to include information about biofuels. Click on the link to DOE Genomics:GTL Systems Biology for Energy and Environment.
FREE: Federal Resources for Educational Excellence - "Teaching and Learning Resources from Federal Agencies."
From Mendel to Markers: Impact of Molecular Technologies on Animal, Plant, and Human Genetics. Curriculum for Grades 9-12. Published by ISU Extension.
G.A.M.E. (Genomics Analogy Model for Educators) - "The G.A.M.E. website is a tool for high school science teachers and higher education instructors that teach genomics but do not have a molecular biology background. Useful analogies and resources are available for teachers to use in their classroom." Hosted by Purdue University.
Gene Almanac - A source for timely information about genes in education. A collaboration between Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and the Dolan DNA Learning Center.
Gene Tests - “…a publicly funded medical genetics information resource developed for physicians, other healthcare providers, and researchers, available at no cost to all interested persons.” Funded by the National Institutes of Health. Includes a link to GeneReviews. "GeneReviews are expert-authored, peer-reviewed, current disease descriptions that apply genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients and families with specific inherited conditions"
Genetics Education Center - For educators interested in human genetics and the human genome project. This is an extensive, well-maintained list of links. Includes links to information about the Human Genome Project, genetic education, and classroom activities. The site is hosted by the maintained by the University of Kansas Medical Center. Be sure to look at the "Film, movies in education" section for examples of videos in YouTube.
Genetic Science Learning Center at the Eccles Institute of Human Genetics - This site is maintained by the University of Utah. It has excellent graphics and short tutorials on a variety of topics. The link to Teacher Resources contains a list of interactive web activities and lab experiments.
MaizeGDB: Maize Genetics and Genomics Database - Hosted by Iowa State University. This site includes a link to educational resources for educators and students.
National Human Genome Research Institute - Genetics education for students, teachers, and the general public.
National Institutes of Health: Office of Science Education - This site contains Curriculum Supplements for middle and high school students.
Partnership for Plant Genomics Education - Hosted by the University of California-Davis. Free, educational software available for downloading.
Plant Genome Research Outreach Portal (PGROP) - "The mission of the PGROP site is to provide a centralized access point for locating Plant Genome Research "Outreach" activities, programs and resources. The site seeks to be a portal that serves the needs of a wide-ranging audience. Whether you are a high-school student or teacher, an undergraduate or graduate student, university faculty, someone looking for opportunities for minorities and underrepresented groups, or a member of the public at large (and that includes everyone!) - you will find a wealth of information and tools at your fingertips as you walk through the portal." An Iowa State University and National Science foundation initative.
Policy Forum: Scientific Teaching - This 16 page annotated bibliography contains resources related to scientific teaching. The article, Scientific Teaching, appeared in Science, Vol 304, Issue 5670, 521-522 , 23 April 2004. (Note: This links to a PDF file.)
RACE: Are We So Different? - A project of the American Anthropological Association. "Looking through the eyes of history, science and lived experience, the RACE Project explains differences among people and reveals the reality – and unreality – of race. The story of race is complex and may challenge how we think about race and human variation, about the differences and similarities among people." The Human Variation section about includes information about human biology and genetics and the correlation between genes and disease. The Resources link includes educator's resources.
Science NetLinks - Lesson plans for K-12 science teachers. "Science NetLinks is part of the MarcoPolo Education Foundation. MarcoPolo partners the AAAS, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Council of the Great City Schools, the National Council on Economic Education, the National Geographic Society, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts."
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) - Online teaching resources, pamphlets, image galleries, and more.
Genomics Posters - 2
free posters from the JGI: Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute.
Human
Genome Landmarks Poster - from DOEgenomes.org
Genomics
and Its Impact on Science and Society: The Human Genome Project and Beyond
Biointeractive - Check the online catalog (multimedia educational products) for free DVDs.
Women are Scientists - A series of free videos and posters spotlighting female scientists. Sponsored by the Office of Research on Womens Health and Office of Science Education.
The DNA Store - Purchase DNA jewelry and DNA models.
Last updated 6/16/2009;
Links last checked on 6/10/2009
Andrea L. Dinkelman
Science & Technology Librarian
Parks Library
Iowa State University
Send comments about this page to adinkelm@iastate.edu
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