FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS OF BRAIN DISORDERS

ZOOLOGY 604

Learn to navigate open access biological and biomedical databases that include a wealth of information regarding genes, gene expression, gene pathways, behavioral characteristics, and disorders or diseases. This includes extracting information to develop new ideas, and using multiple databases to develop new ideas on which genes may be playing important, but previously underappreciated or unknown roles.

GENETICS/MDGENET 565

Principles, problems, and methods of modern human genetics. Focuses on how researchers discover the genetics of diseases and how those discoveries are used to improve clinical practice. Surveys aspects of (i) the molecular function of the human genome, (ii) the basic principles of human genetics including statistical genetics, quantitative genetics, and genomic variation in human populations, (iii) the genetics of rare disorders and common diseases, and genomic analysis approaches, including genome-wide association studies and sequencing, and (iv) how genetics are used in medicine and discussions covering ethical considerations of human genomic data.

GENETICS 564

The basic principles of genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics will be taught through a semester-long project of the students choosing. Creative problem solving in science skills will be learned through a variety of active-learning techniques that include: reading of primary literature, group presentations, peer review, bioinformatic lab exercises, science communication skills (writing visualization), and creating a website. Emphasis will be placed upon how to effectively communicate science (written, oral and written). Topics include: genomic sequencing, phylogeny, domain analysis, transcriptomics, CRISPR screens, chemical genomics, quantitative proteomics and protein networks. Capstone course.

GENETICS 520

The genetic basis of nervous system development, structure, function, and dysfunction. Will emphasize both current research findings on the genetic basis of specific neurological disorders, as well as genetic methodologies and experimental approaches used in neurobiological research.

GENETICS 885

With the availability of genome sequences and high-throughput techniques, organismal physiology can now be examined on a global scale by monitoring the behavior of all genes or proteins in a single experiment. This course will present modern techniques in genomics and proteomics, with particular focus on analyzing the data generated by these techniques. Course material will cover genomic sequencing, comparative sequence analysis, phylogeny construction and phylogenomics, transcription factor motif discovery, DNA microarray analysis, techniques in mass spectrometry, proteomic screening methods, and protein-interaction network analysis. In addition to lecture time, the course includes computer lab where students get hands-on experience analyzing genomic and proteomic datasets. Students should have coursework in general statistics and intermediate or advanced genetics.