StarGenetics
- Android app
- Not listed
- Free plan
- Yes
- Runs on
- Linux, Mac, Web, Windows
Summary
StarGenetics is a simulator for Mendelian genetics crosses, designed to teach genetics concepts and experimental design. Its stated audience ranges from high school biology to advanced undergraduate biology. Students can use visualizers for cows, fish, flies, peas, a smiley face, and yeast. Instructor materials cover genetic crosses, Punnett squares, complementation, epistasis, gene linkage and mapping, and tetrad analysis. Instructors can customize exercises with Excel workbooks in XLS format. The Punnett Square tool summarizes expected genotypic distributions for monohybrid and dihybrid crosses. Fly mating results can be examined one by one, sorted by sex and phenotype, or summarized by phenotype. DNA markers for genetic mapping are available in the Fly and Fish visualizers. Experiments can be saved to a file and reopened later, while Excel export is limited to Fly exercises. MIT recommends Java Web Start and provides operating-system downloads for people with limited internet connectivity. StarGenetics is free to access through the web and is also downloadable for Linux, Windows, and Mac.
Who it is for
StarGenetics suits biology students from high school through advanced undergraduate courses, as well as instructors creating genetics exercises. Its visualizers and teaching topics support work on genetic crosses and mapping.
What is good
- Covers several genetics concepts, including epistasis and mapping
- Offers visualizers for six organisms or models
- Instructors can customize exercises with XLS workbooks
- Experiments can be saved and reopened
What to know first
- Excel export is available for Fly exercises only
- DNA marker mapping is limited to Fly and Fish visualizers
- Custom exercises use Excel workbooks in XLS format
Verdict
StarGenetics offers a free way to explore genetics crosses with several visualizers and instructor-customized exercises. Note that Excel export is restricted to Fly exercises, and marker-based mapping is limited to two visualizers.
StarGenetics plans and pricing
All plansCompared on biology learning software
- Free plan
- Yesweb.mit.edu
- Virtual labs
- Yesweb.mit.edu
- Biology simulations
- Yesweb.mit.edu
- Assessment tools
- Yesweb.mit.edu
- Teacher tools
- Yesweb.mit.edu
- Primary learner level
- mixedweb.mit.edu
- Supported platforms
- mixedweb.mit.edu
Facts
- Purpose
- StarGenetics is a Mendelian genetics cross simulator for teaching genetic experimental design and genetics concepts.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- Audience
- The site describes use for high school biology through advanced undergraduate biology.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- Custom exercises
- Instructors can customize exercises, which are built using Excel workbooks in XLS format.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- Organisms
- Available visualizers cover cow, fish, fly, peas, smiley face, and yeast.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- Genetics topics
- Instructor resources list concepts including genetic crosses, Punnett squares, complementation, epistasis, gene linkage and mapping, and tetrad analysis.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- DNA markers
- DNA marker functionality for genetic mapping is available in the Fly and Fish visualizers.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- Experiment analysis
- Fly mating results can be viewed individually, sorted by sex and phenotype, or summarized by phenotype.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- Punnett squares
- The Punnett Square tool summarizes expected genotypic distributions for monohybrid and dihybrid crosses.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- Data export
- Export to Excel is available for Fly exercises only.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- Saving work
- Experiments can be saved to a file and reopened later in StarGenetics.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- Platforms
- The manual says the software runs on standard Linux, Windows, and Mac computers; download instructions specify Java Runtime requirements for Linux and Windows and Mac OS X 10.5 or later.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- Connectivity
- MIT recommends Java Web Start and offers operating-system downloads for users with limited internet connectivity.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- Support
- Users can submit a bug report, feature request, comment, or question through the in-app suggestions form.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
- Security prompt
- The manual instructs users to click Trust when prompted about the application certificate; the opened product pages make no security or compliance certification claims.web.mit.edu · 29 Sept 2026
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Sources
- web.mit.edu/Star/genetics/index.html· checked 29 Sept 2026
- web.mit.edu/Star/genetics/problemsets/development/i· checked 29 Sept 2026
- web.mit.edu/Star/genetics/documentation/index.html· checked 29 Sept 2026
- web.mit.edu/Star/genetics/download/index.html· checked 29 Sept 2026