Educator Guide: Genes Foretell Flu Shot Response

FORTUNE TELLER A set of nine genes can signal whether a young adult will develop a strong response to the flu vaccine, a new study finds.
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About this guide
The article “Genes foretell flu shot response” describes how measuring the activity of a small number of genes can predict how well a young person’s immune system will respond to a flu vaccine. In this guide, students can focus on details reported in the article, follow connections to earlier articles about influenza and its vaccines, and explore cross-curricular connections to other major science topics such as molecular biology and immunology. In a related activity, students can work in groups or independently to better understand influenza genomes and why the virus mutates.
This Guide Includes:
Facing the flu through time
Your body as watchdog
Catching the flu
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