Genomics is an excellent area of research for students who are good with computers. If you are comfortable navigating somewhat complicated websites and enjoy manipulating and downloading computer files, then genomics might be a good fit for you.
So what exactly is genomics? Genomics is the study of the entire set of an organism's genes (or the genes of multiple organisms) and their functions, using techniques such as mapping, sequencing, analyzing and modeling. Genomics aims to look at all genes together as a complex and dynamic system. Specialists in genomics hope that their discoveries will lead to innovative new ways to design diagnostic tests as well as therapies to treat diseases. Check out some of the topics that are featured in the Project Ideas below:
Pedigree Analysis: A Family Tree of Traits
Some characteristics, like the shape of your hairline, whether your earlobes are attached or detached, and whether or not you have freckles, are inherited from your parents. In this science project you'll see how writing these characteristics onto a family tree can help you determine how they are inherited.
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Learning Your A, G, C's (and T, too)
This is a project about the "molecular alphabet" of DNA. With just four "letters," it manages to keep track of the plan for an entire person, and keep a complete copy in nearly every cell. This project will help you start learning this new alphabet.
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Are Fingerprint Patterns Inherited?
Fingerprints are used as reliable identification because each person's fingerprints are unique. But are these unique patterns created randomly or are they influenced by genetics?
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How Much DNA Can You Pack into a Cell?
Have you ever tried to pack a suitcase? If so, you know that no matter how hard you try, there is a limit to the amount you can cram in, which means if you have more stuff, you need a bigger suitcase! Do you think the same principle applies to DNA in a cell? Does an animal with a bigger genome need a larger cell nucleus to store its DNA? Try this science project and find out!
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May the Best Plant Win! Experiment with Genetically Modified Seeds
Farmers face a variety of challenges in their efforts to grow crops. One of the chief challenges is the presence of unwanted plants (weeds) that compete with the crop plants for water, nutrients, and light. If the weeds are not suppressed, they can reduce or completely eliminate the amount of food derived from the crop at harvest. In this biotechnology and plant science fair project, you will simulate the competition between crop plants and weeds, and determine whether the use of an herbicide, Roundup®, provides a growth advantage to genetically modified plants.
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What is the Woolly Mammoth's Closest Living Relative?
Woolly mammoths shook the ground of ice-age tundras for millennia, living next to saber tooth tigers and prehistoric man. Although they have been extinct for thousands of years, scientists continue to learn more and more about this mighty animal. Some of the most exciting new research is being produced by looking at DNA extracted from the hair and bones of woolly mammoths entombed in ice. In this genomics science fair project, you will use bioinformatics tools to determine the woolly mammoth's closest relative. You will also estimate the rate at which the woolly mammoth’s DNA accumulated mutations.
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Use DNA Sequencing to Trace the Blue Whale's Evolutionary Tree
The first land animals took their tentative steps out of the ocean and onto solid ground around 365 million years ago. Over millions of years, these early ancestors developed into tetrapods, including amphibians, reptiles, dinosaurs, birds, and mammals. Then, around 50 million years ago, the reverse process occurred: the mammalian ancestor of today’s whales returned to the ocean. In this genomics science fair project, you will use mitochondrial protein sequencing to trace the evolution of whales and identify their closest living relatives that still have four legs.
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BLAST into the Past to Identify T. Rex's Closest Living Relative
Believe it or not, scientists were recently able to recover tissue from a 68-million-year-old
Tyrannosaurus rex fossil! Not only were they able to purify non-mineralized tissue, but they also succeeded in obtaining partial sequence information for protein molecules in the
T. rex tissue. In this genomics science fair project, you will use the
T. rex's protein sequence to search sequence databases for the its closest living relatives.
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The Tree of Life — I (basic)
Imagine that a biologist arrived at your big family reunion and had no idea who were sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc., but tried to sort it out by how all of you look. Just based on how you look, would s/he be able to guess whether the kid standing next to you is your sister or your cousin? The biologist might be able to make some good guesses this way, but by using samples of your family's DNA, s/he could construct your whole family tree. In this project, you'll use a Web-based computer program to help make a "human family tree." (For a more advanced project, see
"The Tree of Life — II".)
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The Cancer Genome Anatomy Project
Finding a cure for cancer is one of scientists' greatest challenges today. But first, they have to study and understand the disease. In this science project, you will explore the software available on the Cancer Genome Anatomy Project (CGAP) website and use bioinformatics tools to identify genes whose level of expression is higher in cancer tissue.
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Index of Genetics & Genomics Project Ideas |
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