This lesson was created by the Personal Genetics Education Project, and paired with a clip from The Gene.

This lesson highlights some of the most exciting and controversial efforts to improve human health using new tools for altering an organism's DNA. Students will hone critical thinking skills by examining case studies and considering what information they would need to make an informed decision.

Interested in learning more? pgEd offers a companion lesson genome editing and the environment and a lesson that invites students to navigate the complexities and controversies of the 2018 news story on claims that twin girls were born after their genomes were edited as embryos.