Why Genes in Pieces?

Explore the fascinating world of introns in eukaryotic genomes through this 21-minute lecture by MIT graduate student Emma Kowal. Delve into the surprising discovery of genes organized in pieces, with introns needing removal before protein synthesis. Learn about the prevalence and size of introns in the human genome, their potential functions, and ongoing research in this field. Discover how introns relate to the Nobel Prize, cell biology, and gene engineering. Follow Kowal's journey through her PhD research project as she investigates the origins and evolution of introns. Gain insights into the complex nature of genes and their impact on molecular biology.

Intro
Ikea
Nobel Prize
Why genes and pieces
Introns are universal
Introns are big
Cell biology by the numbers
Why do introns exist
Ikea Billy
Engineering Genes
My Research Project
How do we think this happens
My PhD
Conclusion