CURRICULUM FOCUS

Genetics, Government, Life Science, Molecular Biology and the U.S. Constitution
Integrate with: Business, Ethics, Global Issues, Language Arts and Mathematics

OBJECTIVES

To initiate student explorations and a growing understanding of the genetic revolution.
To investigate how the genetic revolution might impact the citizen's right to privacy.
To explore the implications of the genetic revolution on ethical choices, "planned" populations, and decision making for the future.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Students will join America's "Scientist of the Year," Dr. Steven Rosenberg, from the National Cancer Institute in Washington, D.C. to discuss "The Genetic Revolution." Dr. Rosenberg is joined byDr. Nancy Wexler, an award-winning leader in genetics research, from Los Angeles, California. Dr. Rosenberg will lead students on a tour of the National Institute of Health and his laboratory, as well as introduce them to patients being treated at the National Cancer Institute.

The genetic revolution has put into the hands of human beings powers that a few years ago could only be imagined. Through the techniques of genetic engineering, scientists are able to identify specific genes, remove any one gene from an organism's chromosome, replicate it, analyze and modify a copy, and reinsert the copied genes into their original organism or into the genetic matter of another organism.

Already, genetic engineering has had a major influence on science and business, and has begun to alter medicine and agriculture. One can easily envision the powerful changes genetic engineering might bring about as humans harness more of its power. Perhaps the most highly-publicized uses of genetic engineering to date have occurred in the field of medicine. Genetic engineering techniques have made possible large-scale production of certain medically-useful substances, such as insulin for the treatment of diabetes, and interferons for treatment of certain viral infections. Safer, new vaccines may also result from the use of these techniques.

The issue of the right to privacy comes to bear when discussing genetic engineering as it applies to the use of techniques such as genetic fingerprinting and gene therapy. Genetic fingerprinting can be used to determine the identity of a criminal and the likelihood that an individual will inherit certain diseases. DNA amplification is now being used during pre-natal screening and diagnosis. If an individual belongs to a family with a high incidence of genetic disease, should this be taken into consideration before having children? What is the role of insurance companies that are in the business of spreading unknown risk to their customers when the risk of disease is no longer unknown? The implications are extremely complex.

CURRICULUM DISCUSSION POINTS

Do you feel that scientists have the right to experiment on the DNA of simple organisms such as bacteria?
Should scientists try to cure genetic defects such as cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, or sickle-cell anemia by using recombinant DNA techniques? Is it important for scientists to be regulated by the government when using modern biotechnology procedures or experiments?

AFTER THE PROGRAM

Curriculum Connection - Government and the U.S. Constitution

The right of privacy is not guaranteed by the Constitution nor even mentioned. However, the Supreme Court has recognized this right through these Amendments that the class should review: The 4th's guarantee of security of person, home, papers, and effects; the 5th's right against self-incrimination; the 9th's safeguard of rights not mentioned, but assumed; and the 14th's due process clause. Privacy cases can be divided into freedom of personal choice and freedom from disclosure. Freedom from disclosure includes mandatory tests, surveillance, and computerized records. The courts' decisions have been mixed. The right of privacy is a controversial, often contradictory, constitutional area. Have students research the right to privacy. In the light of their research, have them complete the following paragraph in terms of intrusions the genetic revolution might bring into their lives: "Since I believe I have the right to privacy, no one can..."
Have students read and analyzthe 4th, 5th, 9th and 14th amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

Curriculum Connection - Ethics

Since the genetic fingerprint is a virtually foolproof means of identification, what are the rights of a suspect in a criminal investigation? How could this method lead to the conviction of the wrong person?
Discuss the ethical questions faced by a person contemplating marriage who is a probable carrier of a genetic disorder such as sickle-cell anemia or Tay-Sachs disease. Does the person have a moral obligation to be tested? Must the prospective spouse be informed? What would you do in similar circumstances? Should couples be required by their insurance companies to undergo such testing as a condition of being insured?

Curriculum Connections - Language Arts

Using a Town Meeting format, have students play the roles of animal-rights activist, government official, research scientist, business executive, parent of a child with a genetic disorder, religious official. Within this format, discuss the following issues: 1) A scientist seeks a patent on a new species of laboratory mouse that has been genetically engineered to be used in cancer research. 2) Parents of a child with leukemia seek to conceive another child in the hopes that its bone marrow will match and can be transplanted to save the life of the sick child.
Assign Aldous Huxley's Brave New World for class reading and discussion.

Curriculum Connections - Mathematics

Have students bring in some bar codes from grocery items. Compare the pattern of lines. In each case, how many lines are needed to code the number printed under the code? How many combinations can you make with 10 lines? Discuss the findings in terms of the various possible patterns of genetic materials.
A number of polling activities are natural extensions of many of the issues discussed in the program. Have the students discuss, then vote on the following issues:
- Should cloning experiments be expanded to include humans?
- Should millions of dollars of government funds be used to pay for mapping the genes on human chromosomes (The Genome Project)?
- Should this kind of project be undertaken by private industry? By anyone at all?

Curriculum Connections - Global Issues

Should our government have anything to say about biotechnology experiments being performed in other countries?

Curriculum Connections - Business

The business of medical insurance companies is to spread unknown risk among their customers so that the customers are able to obtain medical care when unforeseen illnesses strike. Should these companies be able to require genetic testing as a condition of insurability, so that people with higher risk pay a higher rate? Such a test can often show the existence of conditions such as the gene for Alzheimer's or Huntington's Disease, which may not yet have manifested themselves.