April 1, 2012 (Vol. 32, No. 7)
URL:
http://bit.ly/w1qk60
Rating:
Strong Points: Beautifully designed, interactive tools
Weak Points: None
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
Free
Summary:
You may be familiar with the many beautifully designed educational websites by the DNA Learning Center of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. With the DNA Learning Center’s latest endeavor, you can now enjoy the same high-quality educational resources on your iPad or iPhone with the Gene Screen app. This app teaches the basics of genetics, genetic diseases, and genetic screening though the use of animations. The user interface is very nicely designed and organized into nine separate modules. An especially useful feature for new students of genetics is the interactive, blank Punnett Square. Users can use this tool to work out all of the possible gene combinations for offspring from a particular mating. There are also two additional inheritance calculators that feature specific examples, thereby making the results more concrete and less abstract to the user. The app also features an extensive list of online resources.