Genes, the Environment, and ME (GEM)

描述(由申请人提供)：华盛顿大学(UW)基因组科学系提出了一个为期五年的项目--基因、环境和我(GEM)。该项目将通过以学校和社区为重点的科学教育计划，解决不同人群对生物医学研究更深入了解的迫切需要，并增加生物医学领域中代表性不足的少数群体的代表性。该项目将与华盛顿大学少数民族事务和多样性办公室、华盛顿大学生态遗传学和环境健康中心以及华盛顿大学和其他生物医学研究机构的科学家和伦理学家合作进行。GEM将使用以社区为基础的参与性研究方法，让社区成员--教师、学生、家长和社区领袖--作为平等的合作伙伴参与规划、开发和实施项目活动。通过这些伙伴关系，我们将开发一系列单元课程，重点放在生物学的基本概念上--基因和环境在决定所有活着的有机体特征方面的相互作用。这些课程将被用来补充健康和科学项目，这些项目服务于华盛顿和美国其他地区代表不足的K-12学生。此外，家庭科学节将让学生、教师、家庭和社区在一个非正式的全年龄庆祝活动中学习遗传概念和与健康相关的疾病。 GEM将主要与亚基马山谷的学区合作，亚基马山谷是华盛顿州中部的一个农村农业区，拉美裔和美国原住民学生比例很高，其中许多人来自英语水平有限、教育水平较低的高贫困家庭。复杂的疾病(即遗传和环境因素的组合)，如2型糖尿病、心脏病和癌症，对西班牙裔和美洲原住民来说是重要的健康问题，这使得基因与环境相互作用的教学对这一群体来说是一个特别引人注目的话题。GEM将主要关注初中生和他们的老师，以促进对遗传概念的更深入理解，包括基因和环境如何相互作用来决定特征。参与遗传学活动和讨论影响个人和社会的伦理问题将有助于学生形成关于他们自己的身份、态度和兴趣的想法，包括职业兴趣。华盛顿的教学标准要求教师在这些年级纳入基因概念，因此他们渴望有设计良好的课程来补充他们的课程。让学生，特别是那些来自传统上代表性不足的社区的学生，面临相互关联的职业选择，可能会鼓励一些人在科学和数学方面深造，最终在生物医学领域从事职业生涯。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington (UW) proposes a five year project, Genes, the Environment, and Me (GEM). This project will address the pressing need for deeper understanding of biomedical research among diverse populations and increased representation of underrepresented minorities in biomedical fields through a school and community-focused science education program. The project will be conducted in collaboration with three programs within the UW Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity, the UW Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health, and scientists and ethicists at the UW and other biomedical research institutions throughout Washington. GEM will use a Community-Based Participatory Research Approach to involve community members-teachers, students, parents, and community leaders-as equal partners in planning, developing, and implementing project activities. Through these partnerships, we will develop a series of modular lessons focused on a fundamental concept of biology-the interaction of genes and the environment in the determination of traits in all living organisms. The lessons will be used to supplement health and science programs that serve underrepresented K-12 students throughout Washington and other parts of the United States. In addition, Family Science Festivals will involve students, teachers, families, and the community in learning about genetic concepts and health-related conditions in an informal all- age celebration. GEM will work primarily with school districts in the Yakima Valley, a rural agricultural region in central Washington with a high percentage of Hispanic and Native American students, many from high poverty families with limited English proficiency and low educational attainment levels. Complex diseases (i.e. those caused a combination of genetic and environmental factors) such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are important health problems for Hispanic and Native American people, making the teaching of gene- environment interactions an especially compelling topic for this population. GEM will focus primarily on middle and high school students and their teachers to promote deeper understanding of genetic concepts, including how genes and the environment interact to determine traits. Engagement in genetics activities and discussions of ethical issues that affect individuals and society will help students to formulate ideas about their own identity, attitudes, and interests, including career interests. Washington's teaching and learning standards require teachers to incorporate genetic concepts at these grade levels, and therefore they are eager to have well designed lessons to supplement their curriculum. Exposing students, particularly those from traditionally underrepresented communities, to linked career options may encourage some to pursue advanced studies in science and math and ultimately a career in a biomedical field.