in my former career I was a cytogenetic technologist. (similar to a geneticist… but not exactly).

As far as summer classes? or special classes? I didn’t take any. I just took my advanced biology classes in HS and applied to college (UConn) … I concentrated in molcular biology classes initially and 2 years later applied to UCONN’s Diagnostic genetic sciences program. From that point forward I only took genetics and molecular genetics classes until graduation.

I don’t think that it’s necessary for you to take extra classes now. Just, do well in your bio. classes now… enjoy your summers. And apply to a school with an appropriate genetics program … when the time is right.

best wishes!
– KIM

p.s. and if you’re really interested.. you can look for a genetics laboratory in your area… and talk to a director (sometimes they will let HS students spend a week-or 2 in the lab.. during the summers)

I am a geneticist. I worked in the field of developmental biology, that is, looking at the molecules that are important in building body symmetry starting with the oocyte (egg). How it is that a developping, early embryo knows which way is up/down, back/front, and left/right?

There are many ways to be a geneticist. You have people that work with problems of human heredity, people that look at the genetics of human populations, people that use genetics as tools to answer fundamental questions about the molecular workings of life. I am of the latter category.

Let me know if you have any more specific questions.

what model organism do you use in your investigations ? Just curious (i started a 10- weeks course about developmental biology, don’t want to spend my whole life on developmental biology, but it is interesting though)

by the way: did anyone mention genetics as a tool to construct new drug targets ?

I worked with Drosophila and C. elegans.

My feelings, as a GENETICIST more than an MOLECULAR BIOLOGIST, is that Drosophila ROCKS, and C. elegans SUCKS.

That was the simple take home message.

Now for a few justifications:

Drosophila is a geneticist’s dream. You’ve got unambigious markers galore, deficiency stocks galore, P-elements galore. There is no better toolkit than Drosophila. They are easy to work with.

C. elegans is a geneticist’s nightmare. The markers are confusing, they are all so similar and so tough to tell apart. You have to map with PCR and my whole lab had issues with it. Some biological problems are simplified because of the few and determinate number of cells and lineage in the organism, sure. And it’s so primitive that it’s forgiving of mutations that would not show up in the more complex Drosophila, because it would not be compatible with life.

If you want to have fun during your Master’s or PhD or undergrad project, think "drosophila."

hmmm my project in this course now is mesoderm induction in Xenopus ….. 🙁 –> dreams about Vg1, B-catenin, siamois ………

but i see drosophila in the sylabbus 😀