Diagnosing Baby Marie

We ran gel electrophoresis on each member of the Robinson family. Now it's time to summarize your findings.

  Now that you have your results, write a conclusion by using the following format:

You are a genetic counselor who has been assigned to the Robinson family.  Write a brief report summarizing the results of the DNA analysis.  Please make sure your document is typed in Microsoft Word format (.docx). You should include the following:

• Explain the results of the gel electrophoresis. Which family members have sickle cell disease? Which family members are carriers?  Which family members do not carry the gene at all?  Explain how you know!
• Explain (in layman’s terms) the cause of sickle cell anemia. How is normal hemoglobin different from sickle cell? What causes some hemoglobin to form the sickle shape?
• What is the prognosis for a person with sickle cell disease? What symptoms might they experience and what causes them? What are the treatment options?
• If the Robinsons decide to have another child, what are the chances that child will have sickle cell disease? What are the chances that child will carry the trait?