GLOSSARY
Biomedicine
Medicine
based upon the principles of biology and biochemistry
- the application of biotechnology to medicine.
Biotechnology
A
general term describing the directed modification
of biological processes. This may be accomplished
by introducing new genes into organisms, breeding
organisms to form new variants, or treating organisms
with specific compounds.
Cell
The
basic unit of life. Cells are the fundamental units
of life, because a cell is the simplest unit capable
of independent existence. All living things are made
of cells.
Chromosomes
Rodlike
structures made of DNA. Each human cell has 46 chromosomes
or 23 pairs. For each pair one set of chromosomes
are inherited from the father and the other set from
the mother.
Cloning
The
process of making an identical copy of a human or
living organism from the unfertilised egg of the female.
DNA
A
gigantic molecule of chemical known as deoxyribonucleic
acid or DNA found in all living organsims. It contains
genes which contain heredity information.
DNA
Fingerprinting
The
process of identifying someone through his/her DNA.
A DNA fingerprint is the same for every cell, tissue,
and organ of a person. It cannot be altered by any
known treatment and hence superior to conventional
fingerprint.
Dominant
Genes
Genes
whose trait the offspring will inherit as long as
it comes from either parent due to its dominance.
Down
Syndrome
A
common genetic disorder characterised by mild to moderate
mental retardation. It was discovered in the late
19th century by John Langdon Down, an English physician.
Gene
The
basic unit of heredity – that is they carry the
characteristics that are inherited from an individual’s
parents. They lie on specific stretches of DNA on
the chromosomes.
Genome
All
the DNA in an organism, packaged in 46 pieces (for
the human genome) including all its genes.
Human
Genome Project
A
massive 13-year effort coordinated by the U.S. Department
of Energy and the National Institutes of Health back
in 1990 to identify all the genes in human DNA and
determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical
bases that make up human DNA.
Life
Sciences
The
Life Sciences encompasses Biology but is much more
than just Biology. It includes any research discipline
that contributes to the understanding of life processes.
Life Science is in fact an interdisciplinary field
requiring applications of basic principles from subjects
such as Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
Recessive
Genes
Genes
whose trait the offspring will inherit only if it
is passed down from both parents.
Singapore
Genomics Programme
An
ambitious $60-million five-year programme spurred
by the development of the Human Genome Project and
initiated by the Singapore government to scrutinise
how diseases affect Asians and Caucasians differently
in light of genetic differences.
Telomere
Tiny
snippets of DNA at the end of the chromosomes which
could provide the key to longetivity and immortality
research.
Thalassemia
A
common inherited disease determined by a single gene.
Thalassemia is an inherited condition affecting the
production of red blood cells. 3% of Singaporeans
are carriers of this disease.
