PCR-based cystic fibrosis (CF) carrier screening in a first-year medical student biochemistry laboratory

At UCLA we developed several years ago a laboratory component to the basic first-year medical school biochemistry course (Biological Chemistry 204), which was designed to give the students a hands-on appreciation for some of the more commonly ordered clinical laboratory tests and the biochemical pri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of human genetics 1993-12, Vol.53 (6), p.1352-1355
Main Authors: GRODY, W. W, KRONQUIST, K. E, LEE, E. U, EDMOND, J, ROME, L. H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biochemistry - education
Biochemistry - methods
Bioethics
Biological and medical sciences
carriers
cystic fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis - diagnosis
Cystic Fibrosis - genetics
Education, Medical, Undergraduate - methods
Ethics, Medical
Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen
Genetic Carrier Screening - methods
Genetic Testing - psychology
Humans
Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas
man
Medical sciences
Other diseases. Semiology
polymerase chain reaction
Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods
screening
Voluntary Programs
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Summary:At UCLA we developed several years ago a laboratory component to the basic first-year medical school biochemistry course (Biological Chemistry 204), which was designed to give the students a hands-on appreciation for some of the more commonly ordered clinical laboratory tests and the biochemical principles behind them. Laboratory exercises performed and interpreted by the students have included hemoglobin electrophoresis; iron, transferrin, and ferritin assays; fasting plasma glucose and insulin assays; creatinine clearance; urinary steroid analysis; and serum lipid profiles. Last year we introduced for the first time an exercise designed to acquaint the students with the newest area of laboratory medicine, DNA diagnostics. Of the many molecular biologic applications to medicine currently available, we felt that the most interest would be generated by focusing on the concept of molecular genetic screening and the revolutionary technique, PCR, that makes such screening feasible. Certainly this is the application with the most far-reaching societal and ethical implications and one in which the laboratory exercise would produce some personally meaningful results for the students.
ISSN:0002-9297
1537-6605