Genetics? No Problem!

Shortlisted for the HE Bioscience Teacher of the Year Award 2019: Kevin O'Dell, Author of Genetics? No Problem!

The analysis and interpretation of data is fundamental to the subject of genetics and forms a compulsory part of the undergraduate genetics curriculum. Indeed, the key skills that a genetics student requires are an ability to design and understand experimental strategies and to use problem-solving skills to interpret experimental results and data. Genetics? No Problem! provides students with a graded set of problems that aim to enthuse, challenge and entertain the reader. 

The book is divided into three sections ? introductory; intermediate and advanced ? each with 10 problems. For first level students there will be short genetics problems embedded in a wide range of scenarios, such as murder mysteries. As the book progresses, the stories will get longer and the science will get progressively more complex to challenge final year students and enable the reader to identify genetic disease in obscure organisms as well as designing and testing treatments and cures.

Genetics? No Problem!:

• Takes a unique, innovative approach that provides students with a set of graded problems designed to develop both their skills, and their ability to tackle problems with confidence
• Includes problems embedded in a narrative, written in an interesting, informative and entertaining style by an Author with a proven track record in teaching, research and communication
• Is well illustrated in full colour throughout.

The book will prove invaluable to all students of genetics across a range of disciplines needing to get to grips with the analysis and interpretation of data that is fundamental to the subject.

Foreword vii

Preface ix

Acknowledgements xi

How to Use This Book xiii

Section 1: Introductory

1.1 Grandma’s Secret 3

1.2 Tiger! Tiger! 7

1.3 Anticipation 13

1.4 Budgie Hell 17

1.5 Friends Reunited 21

1.6 The Footballer, his Wife, their Kids and her Lover 25

1.7 Give Peas a Chance 29

1.8 Noah’s ARC 35

1.9 The Mysterious Disappearance of Midnight 39

1.10 Rancid 45

Section 2: Intermediate

2.1 Otto’s Finger 51

2.2 The Mystery of Muckle Morag 57

2.3 Drosophila hogwashii 63

2.4 The Curse of Lilyrot 69

2.5 Strawberry Fields Forever 75

2.6 The Mystery of Trypton Fell 81

2.7 Sir Henry’s Enormous Chest 89

2.8 Pandemonium 93

2.9 My Imperfect Cousin 101

2.10 The Curse of the WERE Rabbits 107

Section 3: Advanced

3.1 The Legend of Neptune’s Cutlass 117

3.2 The Devil’s Pumpkin 129

3.3 Gravity 141

3.4 Kate and William, a Love Story 151

3.5 The Titanians 163

3.6 Once Bitten, Twice Shy 175

3.7 Red‐Crested Dragons of Mythological Island 185

3.8 I Scream! 197

3.9 The Nuns of Gaborone 209

3.10 Poissons Sans Yeux 221

Answers 233

List of Figures 361

All undergraduate students across the life and medical sciences  need to take courses in genetics to a greater or lesser degree. At levels 1 and 2 the numbers are large as shown below by the courses identified by the reviewers:

Glasgow – over 1000 across all the various disciplines and levels.

UCL – compulsory for 420 students at level 1

Dundee – compulsory for 420 students at levels 1 and 2, 40 optional at level 3

Leicester – compulsory for 300 + at level 1

Manchester  – compulsory for 130 at levels 2 and 3