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GeneticsTo understand how health and biological fitness are influenced by environmental variables one has to feel out the depths of genetics. Genetics is the science of genes, heredity and the variation of organisms. It was launched in the middle of the 19th century when Gregor Mendel proved - by means of crossing-experiments with pears - that phenotypic criteria can be inherited by offspring. By the time, DNA (and RNA) has been identified as carrier of genetic information, i.e. heredity (Watson Crick, 1953), and the way proteins are encoded by genes has been manifested. A more recent development is the rise of genomics, which attempt the study of large-scale genetic patterns across the genome for (and in principle, all the DNA in) a given species. Molecular genetics builds upon the foundation of classical genetics but focus on the structure and function of genes at a molecular level. Up to now, generations of scientists later, genetics has become very popular, with scientific insight growing day by day. Technical and methodological revolutions allow for more and more realistic hypotheses and predictions of elementary processes like gene expression, gene regulation, mutation as well as aetiopathology and cancer. For further information visit the Virtual Library on Genetics.  |
