Environmental Human Health Education

描述(申请人提供)：几乎所有人类疾病都至少有一些环境因素。即使是公认的遗传性疾病，通常在成年前也不会显露出来，这表明至少有一些外部因素对病理表型有影响。为了提高人们对教育中基因与环境相互作用的认识，申请公司Edvotek将研究高中和大学里暴露在烟草、重金属和紫外线下的生物效应的科学实验。这项拟议的研究还将为科学教育提供两个新的平台。第一个是小型线虫秀丽线虫，它将提供一个新的生物平台，第二个是彗星检测，它将作为一个新的技术平台。除了建议的产品外，这项研究还将讨论一项评估计划，该计划将提高学生在国家科学内容标准(NSCS)中的成绩。为了实现这些目标，第一阶段SBIR提出了三个可以实现的具体目标。具体目标1描述拟议的课堂活动，展示烟草、重金属和紫外线对教育安全的生物体--线虫的生物效应(展示生理损害)。《特定目标2》将在秀丽线虫暴露在三种环境影响下时，将彗星试验引入线虫体内(说明基因损伤)。具体目标3是编写评估工具，在第二阶段将用于指导目标1和2所述的目标。 公共卫生相关性：几乎所有人类疾病都至少有一些环境因素。即使是公认的遗传病，通常也要到成年后才会显露出来。申请公司将研究高中和大学暴露在烟草、重金属和紫外线下的生物效应的科学实验。学生们将实验并观察这三种环境制剂对实验室小型蠕虫细胞DNA的影响。DNA是控制细胞功能的遗传物质，太阳紫外线对DNA的破坏会导致皮肤癌。同样，烟草和水中的重金属会影响一个人的DNA，从而缩短寿命。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Almost all human diseases have at least some environmental component. Even well- established genetic disorders do not often become manifest until adulthood, indicating at least some external influence on the pathological phenotype. To increase awareness of gene-environment interactions in education, the applicant company, Edvotek, will research high school and college science experiments on the biological effects of exposure to tobacco, heavy metal and ultraviolet light. The proposed research will also offer two new platforms for science education. The first is the small nematode Caenorhabditis elegans that will provide a new Biological Platform and the second is the Comet Assay that will serve as a new Technology Platform. In addition to the proposed products, this research will address an assessment program that will enhance student achievement of National Science Content Standards (NSCS). To meet these objectives, this Phase I SBIR sets forth three achievable specific aims. Specific Aim 1 describes proposed classroom activities demonstrating biological effects of tobacco, heavy metals and ultraviolet light on an educationally safe organism, C. elegans (demonstrating physiological impairment). Specific Aim 2 will introduce the Comet Assay to (illustrating gene damage) in C. elegans when exposed to the three environmental influences. Specific Aim 3 is to prepare assessment instruments that in Phase II will be used to direct objectives described in Aims 1 and 2. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Almost all human diseases have at least some environmental component. Even well established genetic disorders do not often become manifest until adulthood. The applicant company, will research high school and college science experiments on the biological effects of exposure to tobacco, heavy metal and ultraviolet light. Students will experiment and observe the effects of the three environmental agents on cell DNA from small laboratory worms. DNA is the genetic material that controls cell functions and damage to DNA from sun's ultraviolet light can cause skin cancer. Likewise tobacco and heavy metals in water can shorter life by affecting one's DNA.