Courses

The following courses are offered by the faculty of the Biomedical Genetics Program:

  • MS710 A1 Transdisciplinary Training Program in Addiction Science (Fall Semester)
    This introductory course will cover the broad field of addiction with a focus on drug dependence. In one segment of the course, students will learn about the spectrum of drug dependence disorders and modalities for diagnosis and treatment. Another segment will present a wide variety of approaches for studying addiction using the tools of epidemiology, genetics, pharmacology, neurobehavior, and animal models. Emphasis will be placed on transdisciplinary approaches which are essential for understanding and combating addition disorders. In addition, students will be exposed to the impact of addiction on the family and society, and public policy issues addressing the prevention of addiction.

 

  • GMS MM 701 Genetics and Epidemiology of Disease (Fall Semester)
    Topics include: Human Genome Structure and Function; Population Genetics; Genetic Risk Assessment; Non-Mendelian Inheritance; Approaches for Studying the Genetics of Complex Traits; Chromosomes and Chromosome Abnormalities; Principles of Cancer Genetics and Genetic Diagnostics; Methods of Human Linkage Analysis; Identifying Human Disease Genes; Genotype-Phenotype Correlations; and Applications of the “New Genetics.”

 

  • GMS GE 701 Principles of Genetics and Genomics (Fall Semester)
    This course will serve as a foundation for understanding the heritable basis of numerous biological traits, the relationships among genes, and the regulation of their expression. Focus on the ability to use genetic systems to probe these problems, and therefore will heavily explore the experimental aspects of these investigations. Includes discussion of the impact of the genome sequences’ availability on the practice of modern science. Use of case study approach to investigate the rich variety of scientific insights gained through genetic studies of aging, addiction, obesity, and others.

 

  • GMS FC 702 Foundations in Biomedical Sciences II: Structure and Function of the Genome (Fall Semester)
    The second module of the Foundations in Biomedical Sciences course will focus on the mechanisms of biological processes that influence the inheritance, regulation, and utilization of genes. Genetic and genomic, molecular, cell biological, and biochemical experimental approaches to understanding these processes will be explored. In addition, we will discuss the possibilities of utilizing these technologies in medical treatments. This course is part of a series of four core integrated courses and additional elective courses aimed towards first-year Ph.D. students in the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences. The four cores will be integrated in content and structure, and therefore are intended to be taken as a complete, progressive sequence.

 

  • GMS GE 703 Genetics and Genomics Colloquium I (Fall Semester)
    The Genetics and Genomics Colloquium will be a highly participatory journal club where the students will be asked to give presentations on cutting edge research with the focus on communication skills rather than scientific content. This approach will allow students to become more comfortable with public speaking while developing the skills necessary for effective communication of scientific ideas.

 

  • MED MS 144 Genomic Medicine (Fall & Spring Semester)
    The pace of genetic advances during the last century has been unparalleled scientifically, and these discoveries have already made and are poised to make an incredible impact on the practice of medicine. Currently, OMIM (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man at http://www.omim.org) lists over 5,000 identified disease genes, and the Genetic Testing Registry lists over 10,000 diseases for which there are molecular tests. Moreover, OMIM lists over 24,000 loci that are associated with particular phenotypes. In this course, we will explore the precise molecular determinants of medical conditions and of human phenotypic variation that are being elucidated on a daily basis. Clearly, a detailed understanding of the genetic basis of human disease will lead to more widespread practice of precision medicine, utilizing more accurate molecular assays and diagnostics, better-targeted treatments, and more efficient treatment plans overall. Moreover, these developments will certainly affect all clinical specialties of the medical field since genetic components have a clear influence on a wide variety of human traits and conditions, from height and developmental birth defects to cancer susceptibility and neurological degeneration. In this course, we will prepare students to utilize the knowledge of this rapidly developing field in the context of many clinical specialties. We begin the course with an exploration of single-gene Mendelian disorders, multi-factorial conditions, inheritance patterns, and how genes are utilized throughout development. We then apply what we have learned above and previously (chromosomal disorders, cancer) to an examination of how we identify which genes are involved in which clinical conditions, how this understanding can help develop genetic tests and future treatments for these conditions, the appropriate context for recommending these tests, and the ethical, legal, and societal implications of these technologies.