Difference between revisions of "Karthik Ilango"

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(Journal)
(Journal)
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I was a little startled to notice that the functioning (reading and manufacturing of information) of a Genome was similar to programing. A,C,T,G were like 1 and 0 Could we eventually be messing around with life like we do with computers? We were already kind of doing it now.  
 
I was a little startled to notice that the functioning (reading and manufacturing of information) of a Genome was similar to programing. A,C,T,G were like 1 and 0 Could we eventually be messing around with life like we do with computers? We were already kind of doing it now.  
 
Where is it going to go? I am a little skeptical about humans.  
 
Where is it going to go? I am a little skeptical about humans.  
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'''12 May 2010'''
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We learnt about mutation today, how the change of even a single base pair in the DNA sequence can cause a very significant phenotypical change. I was a little startled to learn that smoking causes a change in a particular gene which can cause a permanent change, possibly causing cancer. Left class contemplating how chemicals, which are non living, combined in certain ways to create life. Where is the line where so called non-living things become living.
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'''13 May 2010'''
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Proteins was the topic of the day today. I do some of what I learned in school, espicially about the two main types of structurally different proteins, enzymes and structural proteins. The importance of temperature and ph levels are important for proteins. If the two factors are either too high or too low there is a chance for the protein to denature permanently, like how once an egg is cooked it hardens permanently. The factors are important for the optimum functioning of enzymes also. which is why it is dangerous if the human core body temperature is too low or too high, most body functions begin to break down. 
  
 
'''28 May 2010'''
 
'''28 May 2010'''
 
Ha ha, its quite funny, no one seems to know much about what we are supposed to know by now, me not being the exception. It was quite embarrassing to be sitting there clueless. Im sure yashas is cursing everyone on the inside. Except for aaron, no one else seems to have really got anything done. In my defence I had no clue we had to write a journal like this, I was up till 4 am last night doing the log, remembering days of high school and law school where just was writing notes, and which is what I did. Its quite dry in contrast to Aarons work, and this happens to be my first log entry that is reflective rather than an account or notes of what happened in class.
 
Ha ha, its quite funny, no one seems to know much about what we are supposed to know by now, me not being the exception. It was quite embarrassing to be sitting there clueless. Im sure yashas is cursing everyone on the inside. Except for aaron, no one else seems to have really got anything done. In my defence I had no clue we had to write a journal like this, I was up till 4 am last night doing the log, remembering days of high school and law school where just was writing notes, and which is what I did. Its quite dry in contrast to Aarons work, and this happens to be my first log entry that is reflective rather than an account or notes of what happened in class.
 
I shall update the page with the rest of the reflective log over the weekend.
 
I shall update the page with the rest of the reflective log over the weekend.

Revision as of 06:47, 17 July 2010

Journal

10 May 2010 Got up this morning and while I completely woke up with my morning coffee I caught myself curious about what iGem had in store for me. I had done biology a long time ago in high school and the concept of genetic modification really interested me. Biology catching up with me in design school was just awesome. I liked the idea that I would be creating something at a different level. New mediums are always exciting.

Walked into class and was confronted with a lot of information. Some of it was a recap from what I have done before and a lot of it was new. We raced through about few hundred years of micro biology and the important events that influenced thought and perception of cells and life and their creation.

I was also given some insight into the possibility that genetic engineering and modification might not be a very positive thing. There are many risks and costs involved. Im sure that everyone else must have also had some thoughts on this matter. But do the people in power of using and spreading this technology and knowledge have the same? IF they do, what and how do they plan to use it?

I left back to my apartment, craving for another cup of coffee but still excited about what the next few weeks were going to bring.

11 May 2010

Information, information, information!!! There was so much of it. Termanologies were flying out quite fast, I was a little overwhelmed with it all. I was trying to take it all in and make sense of it at the same time. It was reinforcing to learn that Mendel was a monk and that Leeuwenhoek was a cloth merchant!!

I was a little startled to notice that the functioning (reading and manufacturing of information) of a Genome was similar to programing. A,C,T,G were like 1 and 0 Could we eventually be messing around with life like we do with computers? We were already kind of doing it now. Where is it going to go? I am a little skeptical about humans.


12 May 2010 We learnt about mutation today, how the change of even a single base pair in the DNA sequence can cause a very significant phenotypical change. I was a little startled to learn that smoking causes a change in a particular gene which can cause a permanent change, possibly causing cancer. Left class contemplating how chemicals, which are non living, combined in certain ways to create life. Where is the line where so called non-living things become living.


13 May 2010 Proteins was the topic of the day today. I do some of what I learned in school, espicially about the two main types of structurally different proteins, enzymes and structural proteins. The importance of temperature and ph levels are important for proteins. If the two factors are either too high or too low there is a chance for the protein to denature permanently, like how once an egg is cooked it hardens permanently. The factors are important for the optimum functioning of enzymes also. which is why it is dangerous if the human core body temperature is too low or too high, most body functions begin to break down.

28 May 2010 Ha ha, its quite funny, no one seems to know much about what we are supposed to know by now, me not being the exception. It was quite embarrassing to be sitting there clueless. Im sure yashas is cursing everyone on the inside. Except for aaron, no one else seems to have really got anything done. In my defence I had no clue we had to write a journal like this, I was up till 4 am last night doing the log, remembering days of high school and law school where just was writing notes, and which is what I did. Its quite dry in contrast to Aarons work, and this happens to be my first log entry that is reflective rather than an account or notes of what happened in class. I shall update the page with the rest of the reflective log over the weekend.