Hereditary Colon Cancer Research
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Ballroom C/D
Start Date
15-5-2014
End Date
15-5-2014
Keywords
Lynch Syndrome, heredity, Genes
Abstract
My project reflects how heredity can be used in anthropology as a way to trace human variation. I researched the genetic basis of heredity colon cancer known as Lynch syndrome. Lynch syndrome had been traced back to Finnish and Dutch descent. First, I began reading case studies and concluding the differences in multiple ways in which Lynch syndrome can develop, which can be across multiple genes. Then narrowing my focus to a specific gene known as MLH1, mutations in this gene have a direct effect in the mismatch repair gene that is used to fix errors during the reproductive process known as meiosis, meaning that when a mutation occurs it may lead to a higher frequency of mutations. Second, I began attempting to conduct electrophoresis on PCR products to compare human MLH1 genes to non-human primates. However, there were errors in the primer process that lead to me being unable to run my samples. In the meantime, my professor and I compared the MLH1 gene from our own DNA that we had sequenced through the website 23andme.com along with sequences available on the National Center for Biotechnology Online Information. In high school, I found out that I have Lynch syndrome, a result of my study was that my DNA from 23andme.com had an abnormal amount of mutations that resulted in amino acid changes; I believe this is due to the mismatch repair gene being compromised. In the future, I wish to review my study and finish the lab work.
Recommended Citation
Anderson, Brittany, "Hereditary Colon Cancer Research" (2014). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 77.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2014/posters/77
Poster Number
38
Additional Mentoring Department
Anthropology and Museum Studies
Hereditary Colon Cancer Research
SURC Ballroom C/D
My project reflects how heredity can be used in anthropology as a way to trace human variation. I researched the genetic basis of heredity colon cancer known as Lynch syndrome. Lynch syndrome had been traced back to Finnish and Dutch descent. First, I began reading case studies and concluding the differences in multiple ways in which Lynch syndrome can develop, which can be across multiple genes. Then narrowing my focus to a specific gene known as MLH1, mutations in this gene have a direct effect in the mismatch repair gene that is used to fix errors during the reproductive process known as meiosis, meaning that when a mutation occurs it may lead to a higher frequency of mutations. Second, I began attempting to conduct electrophoresis on PCR products to compare human MLH1 genes to non-human primates. However, there were errors in the primer process that lead to me being unable to run my samples. In the meantime, my professor and I compared the MLH1 gene from our own DNA that we had sequenced through the website 23andme.com along with sequences available on the National Center for Biotechnology Online Information. In high school, I found out that I have Lynch syndrome, a result of my study was that my DNA from 23andme.com had an abnormal amount of mutations that resulted in amino acid changes; I believe this is due to the mismatch repair gene being compromised. In the future, I wish to review my study and finish the lab work.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Lorenz, Joseph