Program Overview

Program Overview

The MD GENET/GENETICS 565 HUMAN GENETICS program is a 3-credit course that explores the principles, problems, and methods of modern human genetics. The program focuses on how researchers discover the genetics of diseases and how those discoveries are used to improve clinical practice.

Program Details

Course Description

The program surveys aspects of:

• the molecular function of the human genome
• the basic principles of human genetics, including statistical genetics, quantitative genetics, and genomic variation in human populations
• the genetics of rare disorders and common diseases
• genomic analysis approaches, including genome-wide association studies and sequencing
• how genetics are used in medicine, including discussions covering ethical considerations of human genomic data

Requirements and Designation

• Requisites: GENETICS 466, 468, BIOCORE 587, or graduate/professional standing
• Course Designation: Breadth - Biological Sci
• Level: Intermediate L&S
• Credit: Counts as Liberal Arts and Science credit in L&S
• Grad 50%: Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement
• Repeatable for Credit: No

Learning Outcomes

1. Predict and describe how different classes of genetic variants could affect molecular and cellular functions and risk for disease
2. Design experimental approaches to investigate the mechanisms of human genetic disorders
3. Explain and give examples of genetic inheritance patterns and the contribution of inherited factors to disease risk
4. Describe the design, strengths, and weaknesses of the various approaches for identifying genes or loci associated with a human disease or trait
5. Explain how genetic information is used in the practice of medicine for diagnosis or to guide treatment and the limitations of current clinical diagnostic or treatment tools
6. Apply human genetics concepts to critically analyze published scientific studies and to describe experimental approaches that can be performed to address shortcomings and/or extend the findings of published work

Audience

The program is designed for both graduate and undergraduate students, with specific learning outcomes tailored to each audience.