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Murder by HIV? Undergraduate Edition

By Naowarat (Ann) Cheeptham, Laura B. Regassa, Michèle I. Shuster

Murder by HIV?  Undergraduate Edition


 

Abstract

This case study gives students an opportunity to draw a conclusion about an actual crime that was prosecuted in Louisiana. A physician was accused of intentionally infecting his ex-girlfriend with HIV-tainted blood drawn from a patient in his practice.  The scientific investigation uses bioinformatics tools and relies on the ability to interpret phylogenetic trees.  Students develop hypotheses about the crime, then use sequences and online tools to generate a phylogenetic tree to test the hypotheses and render a verdict.  The authors have designed and implemented three parallel cases - one for Grades 5-8, one for Grades 9-12, and one for upper-division undergraduates, specifically for a course in molecular evolution.  This is the undergraduate version.

   

Date Posted

01/29/2013

Overview

Objectives

  • Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of molecular evolution via a relevant case study in virology.
  • Use available bioinformatics tools.
  • Compare sequences and construct phylogenetic trees.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking and analytical skills.
  • Address societal issues using practical application of skills.

Keywords

Phylogenetic tree; nucleotide sequences; human immunodeficiency virus; HIV; viral life cycles; mutation rates; reverse transcriptase sequences; murder; crime; criminal investigation; forensics; Louisiana

  

Subject Headings

Bioinformatics
Biology (General)
Forensic Science
Molecular Biology

EDUCATIONAL LEVEL

Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division

  

FORMAT

PDF

   

TOPICAL AREAS

Ethics, Science and the media, Social issues

   

LANGUAGE

English

   

TYPE/METHODS

Analysis (Issues), Directed, Discussion

 

 

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