Genetics much?.. hahaha

[Husky_mom]

for a few years now.. I've been hooked on genetics... it all started with birds.. then rabbits, cats and horses... I find them quite intriguing and fascinating.. some of em even mind blowers and make me ponder for days

I find myself sometimes analyzing any animal in order to decipher their genetic background.. haha

lol.. not a really meaningful thread... but of all places I thought here I'd be more comfortable speaking of that ;)

[Karen]

Maybe it is something you could study for serious once the kids are older and both in school, so you have more spare time! It is fascinating, both in humans, and other critters! I learned some genetics quite early, as the only blue-eyed child in my family. My dad would tease me that I must not be his kid, with my blue eyes (his are hazel, Ma's were very dark brown) but I learned by 4th grade to say "Yeah, but Grandpa has blue eyes and so does Bummy (my maternal grandfather) so I can TOO be your kid!"

[kuhio98]

It's funny you should mention this. Our extended family has recently become facinated with our human genetics. For Christmas, we ordered kits from 23andme
https://www.23andme.com/ancestry/recent/

Can't wait until the kits arrive and we can do our saliva tests. I figure mine will come back as mostly Northern European since I have green eyes, reddish hair and am so pale that I glow in the dark. :p But, you never know. My grandmother was French by way of Lousianna. She had a very American Indian looking nose and had long, very black -- but curly -- hair. There's gotta be a story there. Should be fascinating to find out what it is.

[Asiel]

Love studying genetics and there never seems to be an end to it, something new always crops up. Studying it seriously as was suggested is a great idea--good paying jobs in that field...

[Husky_mom]

it's really a never ending thing.. once you think you got it.. there comes a twist.. hahaha..

I haven't heard of it being a subject to study.. at least not here in my State.. they did recently opened a vet school.. but I'm not sure if i wanna spend the $ on me rather than the kids school.. I chose the later.. ;)

lol... so pale you glow in the dark.. hahaha.. looooved it.. same here.. hehehe

I've always been a curious creature.. and recently started to wonder about DNA.. and how the markers worked.. I tend to ask many unanswerable questions.. hahaha..

[Lady's Human]

Maybe it is something you could study for serious once the kids are older and both in school, so you have more spare time! It is fascinating, both in humans, and other critters! I learned some genetics quite early, as the only blue-eyed child in my family. My dad would tease me that I must not be his kid, with my blue eyes (his are hazel, Ma's were very dark brown) but I learned by 4th grade to say "Yeah, but Grandpa has blue eyes and so does Bummy (my maternal grandfather) so I can TOO be your kid!"

Pa's constant reminder about genetics in our somewhat muddled background is that we have black haired swedes and blond frenchmen in the family tree. After findong out I have a genetic abnormality common in eastern europeans, I asked him which ancestor took the slave girls from Russia. :p

[cassiesmom]

Did you see CSI tonight, they included genealogy in the story line along with genetics.

Talking with my parents I found out there have been mental health issues on both sides of my family. I am starting to wonder if there really is such a thing as a "depression gene". I've joked about it often but I wonder if it's possible. I've read about the possibility of a genetic predisposition for coronary heart disease and that has shown up on both sides of my family.

My dad and brother's business did some work for the Ukrainian National Museum, which is in Chicago. My dad didn't know a lot about his family history. While he was working at the museum they asked him about his Ukrainian family name. So that's how we found out we're not actually Russian but Ukrainian. And my dad's mother came from Poland, no question there. My mom's family is Czech. So I'm Eastern European through and through. We Google searched our last name and found smart people- to whom I'm most likely not related, of course! - a chemist, an attorney, and an award winning chef to name a few. I'm not super smart, that gene has missed me! ;)

[Karen]

Did you see CSI tonight, they included genealogy in the story line along with genetics.

Talking with my parents I found out there have been mental health issues on both sides of my family. I am starting to wonder if there really is such a thing as a "depression gene".

It is, they have found a genetic component towards a predisposition for depression - it's not a guarantee, but something folks should be aware of. And they know schizophrenia can have a genetic component as well.

And I am certain of it just from observation of families I know, just like science recently "discovering" that things like musical or artistic ability can be genetic, when that's something I have known my whole life! What ever artistic genes I have were inherited from my grandmother(s) at least one, they skipped clean over my mother, but as she used to tell people, her mother was an artist, her sister is an artist, and I am one, but she couldn't draw a straight line without three rulers! ;)

[Miss Z]

Genetics is indeed a fascinating subject and I've always been intrigued by it too. I think it's the idea of 'tinkering' with the genome to produce something positive that excites me the most. Have you heard much about epigenetics? Personally, I believe the more we come to understand the epigenome, the closer we will come to managing and reducing many complex genetic diseases such as type II diabetes and cancer. We're also beginning to gauge far better than ever before how the 'faulty' genes generate their proteins, opening up even more potential targets for therapy.

I did Animal Genetics modules in my first and second year of university, and this year am doing an advanced Human Molecular Genetics module at King's College London. It's safe to say my mind has been blown (in both a good and bad way!) by some of the current genetics journals! If there's anything you'd ever like to ask, Isabel, I'd be happy to answer, or ask an expert at the university for you! :)

With regards to the 'depression gene', that's 99.9% certain, but again there's likely to be a great many genes involved. Chromosomes have a habit of switching bits here and there, and having effects further down the code seemingly at random, just to complicate matters. Genetics wouldn't be so intriguing were it straightforward, I guess!

[Husky_mom]

^ yup..

not hear of the epi stuff.. as that´s more human related I assume :P .. but all genetics are quite interesting that's for sure :)

[Alysser]

LOL, this thread made me laugh since I have a Final in Bio tomorrow, entirely on the make-up of DNA and Genetics as a whole. It was a cool Unit for sure. It was better then learning about proteins and monosaccharides, IMO. :p