Bio 280: DNA Science : A Hands-On Workshop

Campus libraries

• Libraries Home Page [http://library.wustl.edu]
• Biology Library, west end of Rebstock, 2nd floor, hallway green table and tree section mark the doorway ; journals upstairs, arranged alphabetically by title; Virtual Tour
• Becker Medical Library [http://becker.wustl.edu] WU School of Medicine
-- Most of the "Quick Links" are available to all WU users on both campuses. A few are available only at the Medical Campus.

Possible starting points - because you often need to learn a bit about a subject before you can begin searching and reading in the primary literature

• Books - Catalog [http://catalog.wustl.edu] - includes links to Danforth Campus Catalog, Becker Medical ECat, MOBIUS Catalog and WorldCatalog - and Online books, such as, NCBI Books or Metabolic and Molecular Bases of Inherited Diseases
• Definition sources: Glossaries of Genomes / Human Genetics Terms; Biology Dictionaries; Ruth's top picks: Life Science Dictionary; Medical Dictionary; Genome Glossary; Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary; MESH (Medical Subject Headings)
• Website List for Bio 280

Journal indexes and other databases

• OMIM; Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man - This link will give you the WU Full Text buttons with citations, which are useful for locating print and online availability and requesting interlibrary loans when necessary.
• Short list for biology
• Databases - all subjects
• Full Text Options: Most databases have links or finding tools built in OR use these strategies to determine if we have access to full text. NOTE: Search by the title of the journal, NOT the author or title of the article in the journal. Then click on journal site and locate the article.
  • Search in the Biology Library list of electronic journals or the full Electronic Journals list
  • Becker Medical Library Catalog Note: for fulltext from Journals@Ovid ask in a library; most campus libraries will put you on.

Some general searching tips

• Use help?; truncation and boolean operators may vary; Common keyword strategy; Boolean logic (PubMed); Complex Boolean searches (OMIM)
• Use more than one search tool; try specialized sites or selective sites
• Think about your strategy; choose unusual words; be flexible; learn from your results
• Don't believe everything you read; consider the source.
• Use FIND-in-page feature of your browser if your search words aren't obvious

A few ideas in addition to the starting points and databases already mentioned which might be useful for your assignments:

Paper Assignment #1: Using DNA technology to identify individuals and groups

• Genetic Testing, part of Genetics Home Reference from the National Library of Medicine
• If you search PubMed for this assignment, you may want to try LIMITing to the Bioethics subset OR simply type your search term AND bioethics [sb], e.g., DNA fingerprinting AND bioethics [sb].
• Non-science databases may give you some useful perspectives, for example, PAIS International, CQ Researcher
• Whose hands on your genes?, from Human Genetics Commission (UK) - Background information on the storage, protection and use of personal genetic information from Great Britain
• The moral, social, and commercial imperatives of genetic testing and screening the Australian case, edited by Michaela Betta. Springer, c2006.

Paper Assignment #2: Producing a pamphlet for a genetic counselor

• OMIM; Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man
• MD Consult [WU users only]; try the "Patient Education" tab
• Genetics/Birth Defects section, MedlinePlus, a selective search engine for high quality web sites
• Genes and Disease, online "book" from NCBI
• Images.MD [WU users only]
• GeneTests, the GeneReviews are especially nice; also searchable through OMIM Links options

Paper Assignment #3: Gene/cell manipulation option

• Databases (above) will probably be your best sources. If you get too many hits, try limiting to "review" articles which may summarize and give you a select list of cited references to use.

Paper Assignment #3: Lesson plan option

• Science Education Journals and Portals - some of the links at the bottom of the page include lesson plans which you may find inspirational
• Bloom's Taxonomy: http://faculty.washington.edu/krumme/guides/bloom.html; http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/KSD/MA/resources/blooms/blooms.html; http://tip.psychology.org/taxonomy.html; search Internet for more.

Consultation with the Biology Librarian is welcome! Ruth is eager to assist with more specific database and search strategy suggestions as well as helping you locate specific materials. The most efficient method is probably to email Ruth with your subject and project details. Then I can reply with my suggestions or arrange to meet with you.

Website List for Bio 280 from Lab Manual (updated 2/1/05)

• New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com (free registration required). Alternative: Search New York Times in LexisNexis Academic [WU only]
• http://www.madsci.org/libs/libs.html
• http://science.education.nih.gov
• National Human Genome Research Institute (MHGRI): http://www.genome.gov
• http://www.doegenomes.org
• http://www.the-scientist.com/home
• http://sciam.com
  Freely available Scientific American content. Alternative: Scientific American Archive is a more complete site, including all articles 1993+ [WU only].
• http://www.sciencemag.org
• http://www.nature.com
• Cell
• http://www.science.gov
• http://science.howstuffworks.com
• http://www.biology.arizona.edu
• http://www.cellsalive.com/toc.htm
• Graphics Gallery: http://www.accessexcellence.org/AB/GG
• http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive
• Basics of DNA Fingerprinting, by Kate Brinton and Kim-An Lieberman: http://protist.biology.washington.edu/fingerprint/dnaIntro.html Note: This URL is different from the lab manual but I think it's the same document.
• http://whyfiles.org
• http://www.sciencenews.org
• http://www.geneticalliance.org/ws_display.asp?filter=diseases Note: This URL is different from the lab manual but I think it's the same search site.
• http://www.nsta.org/chapters
• http://www.exploratorium.edu/educate/
• Techniques in Conservation Genetics: DNA Fingerprinting: http://sciwebserver.science.mcmaster.ca/biology/CBCN/genetics/mac_dnafp.htm
• Genetic Analyses Through DNA Fingerprinting of Captive Populations of Hawaiian Geese, by Elizabeth H. Rave, Robert C. Fleischer, Fern Duvall, Jeffrey M. Black. Conservation Biology 8(3):744-751: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1523-1739.1994.08030744.x/abs/ Note: Fulltext WU only
• Beginner's Guide to Molecular Biology: http://www.rothamsted.bbsrc.ac.uk/notebook/courses/guide
• http://jura.wi.mit.edu/bio/education/BOA-2000/left.htm