iGenetics: A Mendelian Approach reflects the dynamic nature of modern genetics by emphasizing an experimental, inquiry-based approach with a solid treatment of many research experiments. The text is ideally suited for students who have had some background in biology and chemistry and who are interested in learning the central concepts of genetics.
Problem solving is a major feature of the text and students have the opportunity to apply critical thinking skills to a variety of problems at the end of each chapter. Pedagogical features such as “Principal Points,” at the beginning of each chapter, and “Keynotes,” strategically placed throughout the chapter, are useful learning tools.
The iGenetics CD-ROM and the companion website contain 25 activities and 59 narrated animations, all of which are based on text figures, to help students visualize complex processes and challenging concepts they encounter in the main text.
An intense developmental effort, along with numerous third-party reviews of both text and media, ensure the highest degree of accuracy.
Features
The text’s inquiry-based approach engages students in the process of science.
Step-by-step examples of problem solving throughout the book represent a wide range of topics and difficulty levels.
Pedagogy:
Principal Points, appearing at the beginning of each chapter, x_alert students to key concepts.
Keynotes, strategically placed throughout the chapter, summarize important ideas and allow students to check their progress.
Summary Sections, at the end of each chapter, reinforce main ideas.
Analytical Approaches to Solving Genetics Problems, at the end of each chapter, guide students step-by-step through the process of solving genetic problems.
Material on recombinant DNA technology and the manipulation of DNA (Chapters 16, 17, and 18,) provide students with in-depth coverage.
Recombinant DNA Technology (Chapter 16) discusses how to clone DNA, how to make and screen recombinant DNA libraries, how to analyze genes and gene tranx_scripts, how to sequence DNA, and how to amplify DNA using PCR.
Applications of Recombinant DNA Technology (Chapter 17) describes how the molecular tools presented in the previous chapter can be applied to study biological processes, test for genetic disease mutations, isolate human genes, fingerprint DNA, develop gene therapy approaches, develop commercial products, and engineer plants genetically.
Genomics (Chapter 18) assembles in one chapter an overview of the state-of-the-art analysis of genomes, including how genomes are sequenced completely, a summary of the properties of key genomes that have been sequenced, how genome sequences are analyzed, and how tranx_scriptional and translational profiles can be analyzed for many genes simultaneously.
Numerous examples of human genetic disease help students understand the growing importance of molecular medicine.
The Genetics Place — This online learning environment offers 25 activities, each with follow-up questions; 59 animations; and practice quizzes that can be graded and the results entered directly into the instructor’s grade book. A syllabus manager and a grade book function are provided as instructor resources. A complimentary, one-year access code is provided with every new book.
iGenetics CD-ROM, packaged with each copy of the text, includes all of the student resources found on the website.
Suggested Reading sections contain references to papers that were key to the development of concepts, as well as references to current research in the areas being discussed.
Early coverage of Quantitative Genetics is a natural extension of the Mendelian material.
Genetic Analysis of Development (Chapter 21), includes the major model organisms: fly, worm, plant, and mouse, with discussions that extend to human systems. There is also treatment of sex determination within the context of development.
Extensive coverage of gene mapping is provided in two chapters. Advanced topics such as tetrad analysis, mitotic recombination, and classical mapping of human genes are segregated into their own chapters for thorough coverage. In addition, FISH and Radiation Hybrids are covered.
Early coverage of chromosomal mutations ties the classical sections together, wrapping up the eukaryotic principles of heredity and adding human applications and examples of human disease.
DNA mutation and repair follows DNA structure for a logical flow of information.
An update of genome analysis, with reduced coverage of sequencing, provides a greater focus on what we are learning from analysis.
Molecular coverage integrates Mendelian sections where appropriate.
