About the Biological Database Explorer

The Biological Database Explorer (BDE) website introduces users to pharmacogenomics, the study of the role of human genetic variation in drug treatment outcomes. Inspired by the Pharmacogenomics Knowledge Base (PharmGKB; http://www.pharmgkb.org), the BDE highlights the connections between genetics, drug response, and molecular mechanisms behind variations in drug response. The BDE features interactive visualizations and animations, and provides links to public databases for further exploration. The BDE reinforces several California Science Content Standards.

The BDE is a Stanford K-12 Initiative pilot project (http://k12.stanford.edu/research-projects/pilot-projects-08.html).

Co-Principal Investigators:
Prof. Russ Altman
Prof. Dan Schwartz

Team members:
Dorit Berlin, Ph.D. (Project Leader)
Aditya Mittal
Matthew Person
Marily Oppezzo
Doris Chin, Ph.D.

California Science Content Standards reinforced in the Biological Database Explorer:

Life Sciences/Genetics
  • 4b. Students know how to apply the genetic coding rules to predict the sequence of amino acids from a sequence of codons in RNA.
  • 4c. Students know how mutations in the DNA sequence of a gene may or may not affect the expression of the gene or the sequence of amino acids in an encoded protein.
  • 4e. Students know proteins can differ from one another in the number and sequence of amino acids.
  • 5a. Students know the general structures and functions of DNA, RNA, and protein.
  • 5b. Students know how to apply base-pairing rules to explain precise copying of DNA during semiconservative replication and transcription of information from DNA into mRNA.
Investigation and Experimentation
  • 1a. Select and use appropriate tools and technology ... to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships, and display data.
Source: http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/ 1/26/2009