Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026

Application of DNA Fingerprinting using the D1S80 Locus in Lab Classes
Published on: July 17, 2021
Swabbing students: should universities be allowed to facilitate educational DNA testing?
1George Washington University, Clinical Research and Leadership, 900 23rd Street NW, School of Medicine, Washington, DC 20037, USA. scallier@gwu.edu
Abstract:
Recognizing the profound need for greater patient and provider familiarity with personalized genomic medicine, many university instructors are including personalized genotyping as part of their curricula. During seminars and lectures students run polymerase chain reactions on their own DNA or evaluate their experiences using direct-to-consumer genetic testing services subsidized by the university. By testing for genes that may influence behavioral or health-related traits, however, such as alcohol tolerance and cancer susceptibility, certain universities have stirred debate on the ethical concerns raised by educational genotyping. Considering the potential for psychosocial harm and medically relevant outcomes, how far should university-facilitated DNA testing be permitted to go? The analysis here distinguishes among these learning initiatives and critiques their approaches to the ethical concerns raised by educational genotyping.
Related Concept Videos
Ethics in Research
CRISPR and crRNAs
The CRISPR-Cas system stores a copy of foreign DNA in the host genome and uses it to identify the foreign DNA upon reinfection. CRISPR-Cas has three different...
DNA Isolation
DNA Isolation
Southern Blot
Denatured DNA fragments must be transferred onto a carrier membrane from the gel to make it accessible to a probe - a small ssDNA fragment complementary to the target DNA...
Surveys
