Understanding the underlying concepts of human genetics and the role of genes, behavior, and the environment will be important to appropriately collecting and applying genetic information and technologies during clinical care. This chapter provides some fundamental information about basic genetic concepts including cell structure, the molecular and biochemical basis of disease, major types of genetic disease, laws of inheritance, and the impact of genetic variation. Almost every human trait and disease has a genetic component, whether inherited or by modifying the body’s response to
environmental factors such as toxins or behavioral factors such as exercise. Understanding the underlying concepts of human genetics and the interactive role of genes, behavior, and the environment will be important in improving disease diagnosis and treatment. This section presents a broad overview of concepts in basic genetics and the molecular and biochemical basis of disease.