Psychological research has demonstrated that living in poverty has a wide range of negative effects on the physical and mental health and wellbeing of our nationâs children. Poverty impacts children within their various contexts at home, in school, and in their neighborhoods and communities.
Transformation. Definition. noun, plural: transformations. (1) The act, state or process of changing, such as in form or structure; the conversion from one form to another. (2) (biology) Any change in an organism that alters its general character and mode of life; post-natal biological transformation or metamorphosis. (3) (genetics) The genetic alteration of a bacterial cell resulting from the transfer of foreign DNA.
Gene changes within cells (mutations). Normally genes make sure that cells grow and reproduce in an orderly and controlled way. They make sure that more cells are produced as they are needed to keep the body healthy. Sometimes a change happens in the genes when a cell divides. The change is called a mutation. It means that a gene has been damaged or lost or copied twice. Mutations can happen by chance when a cell is dividing. Some mutations mean that the cell no longer understands its instructions and starts to grow out of control.