Which has the Human Genome Project most improved in the field of medicine? A. the ability to generate vaccines B. the diagnosis and treatment of disease C. the elimination of all genetic disorders D. the ability to detect environmental pollution B

Which best describes the impact that the Human Genome Project (HGP) has had on cancer research? A. It has eliminated the need for cancer treatment. B. It has increased the number of scientists working in cancer research. C. It has improved understanding of types of cancer that may be caused by genes. D. It has lowered the cost of cancer treatment by manufacturing less expensive medicines. C

Genomics Genomics is also fueling the development of new medicines Genomics Genomics is also fueling the development of new medicines. Several drugs now showing promising results in clinical trials are “gene-based” therapies, where an exact appreciation of the molecular foundations of disease guides treatment design. One of the first examples is Gleevec (previously called STI571), produced by Novartis for treating chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a form of leukemia that mostly affects adults. CML is caused by a specific genetic flaw—an unusual joining of chromosomes 9 and 22 producing an abnormal fusion gene that codes for an abnormal protein. The abnormal fusion protein spurs uncontrolled growth of white blood cells. Novartis designed a small molecule that specifically inactivates that protein. In phase I clinical trials, this drug caused dramatically favorable responses in patients, while side effects were minimal. By targeting the fundamental biochemical abnormality associated with this form of cancer, rather than killing dividing cells indiscriminately as most chemotherapy does, the drug offers better treatment results and fewer toxic effects on normal cells. In May 2001, the Food and Drug Administration approved Gleevec for the treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia after a review time of less than three months. Meanwhile, Bayer and Millennium announced the development of another cancer drug born of genomics in January 2001. GlaxoSmithKline is testing a new genomics-derived heart disease drug that targets a protein involved in fat metabolism. Johnson & Johnson is testing a drug targeting a brain receptor identified through genomics, and involved with memory and attention. Human Genome Sciences has four clinical trials in progress to test gene-based drug candidates. D

Which best describes the main idea in this selection. A Which best describes the main idea in this selection? A. Novartis has produced a cure for CML. B. Genomics are small molecules used in medicine. C. Abnormal fusion genes code for abnormal proteins. D. Genomic science guides modern treatments of disease. D

Which inference is best supported by this selection. A Which inference is best supported by this selection? A. Most cancers are caused by abnormal gene fusions. B. New drugs for cancer may kill dividing cells indiscriminately. C. Many new drugs for cancer may go through review processes of less than 3 months. D. Modern treatments of cancer may have fewer side effects than traditional treatments. D

How does Gleevec combat chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). A How does Gleevec combat chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)? A. Gleevec is a vaccine to prevent CML. B. Gleevec inactivates the protein that causes CML. C. Gleevec repairs the chromosomes that cause CML. D. Gleevec is a form of chemotherapy that destroys cancer cells in CML. B

Based on the selection, which could be inferred when comparing gene-based therapies to current methods for treating diseases? A. Gene-based therapies are too expensive to be practical. B. Gene-based therapies are more general in targeting causal agents. C. Gene-based therapies have unknown side effects and need more testing. D. Gene-based therapies are more disease-specific in targeting their treatment. D

Which is a controversy associated with genomics-related biomedical research? A. the use of embryonic stem cells for medical purposes B. the use of DNA fingerprinting in law enforcement C. the use of gel electrophoresis to extract DNA D. the use of pigs to produce insulin for humans A

Which is a common use of electrophoresis. A Which is a common use of electrophoresis? A. removing impurities from gene fragments B. determining dominant or recessive alleles C. comparing DNA samples from different organisms D. finding the number of nucleotides in a DNA molecule C

How has gene therapy impacted society. A How has gene therapy impacted society? A. by mapping the genetic make-up of a species B. by engineering genes to be able to replace a person’s DNA C. by using genes in psychiatry to provide therapy to patients D. by correcting genetic disorders with insertion of normal genes D

The genome gives scientists the sequence of nucleotides in a species The genome gives scientists the sequence of nucleotides in a species. Which must scientists do to make the genomic information useful? A. insert new nucleotides to test the durability of DNA B. transcribe the DNA with the new information using gene therapy C. sell the information to companies to make the project profitable D. separate coding from non-coding sequences, then determine their function D