Freshman Biology classes are studying the mechanism and impact of genetic disorders as part of a unit on human genetics.

Disorders include progeria, which causes accelerated aging in children; hemophilia, which prevents blood from clotting normally; and fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, which causes muscle tissue to turn to bone over time.

Under the direction of teachers Erin Flynn and Alicia Grant, students creatively explained the selected disorder in a PowerPoint presentation, poster, podcast or video.

Students researched the symptoms of the disorder; how the disorder affects cells in the body; the disorder’s societal impact, including cases per year and morbidity rates; if and how the disease can be inherited; current treatments, research and medical advances for the disorder.

Through the presentations, students hoped to persuade their audience to support their particular causes and gave them information on how to do so.

The project served to educate students about the myriad of disorders that affect millions daily.

Freshman Kimi Tokunaga said, “This project enlightened me because I’m not used to being in an environment in which someone’s physically different from me, and I learned that there are people with many differences out there in the real world. It makes me appreciate how sheltered I am and how much of a safe environment I’m put in every day.”

Grant said, “The purpose of the project was to find out the genetic causes of the disorders but also make my [students] aware of disorders that people have. Sometimes people are treated differently because they have disorders, and [the project] was to show students that these are just normal people who live normal lives and that they can accomplish any of the things that [my students] can.”