| Overview
| Requirements | Courses
In this post-genome sequencing
era, we know the identities of many many genes; however we
know the biological functions of only a tiny fraction of these.
Modern genetic research is aimed at discovering the functions
of genes and understanding their transmission, their regulation,
their interactions and their contributions to phenotypic diversity
and disease. The tools of genetics and gene regulation are
also critical for many other areas of investigation, so solid
training in their use can prepare students for many possible
research paths.
The graduate program in Genetics
and Gene Regulation provides comprehensive training in the
fundamentals of modern genetics (including both model organism
and human genetics and genomics) and in the regulation of
eukaryotic gene expression. There is a large and diverse community
of geneticists on the UPenn campus that includes the Genetics
department as well as members of other basic science and
clinical departments at UPenn or Children’s Hospital
and the Wistar Institute. Students have the opportunity to
participate in Genetics journal clubs, seminars,
and student
and postdoc research presentations. Laboratories in this
program conduct research in a wide variety of areas, including:
human genetics
genetics of model organisms
developmental genetics
behavioral genetics and
neurobiology
cancer genetics and signal
transduction
animal modeling of human
disease
transcriptional and
post-transcriptional
gene regulation
epigenetics and chromatin
retrotransposition
bioinformatics and genomics
(Click on a term to see laboratories working
in that area)
Overview
| Requirements | Courses
Required Courses:
BIOM core courses,
CAMB 605 (see Curriculum
page), and
CAMB 550 (Genetic Principles) and
CAMB 608 (Regulation of Eukaryotic Gene Expression).
See Curriculum section
of this site for more information on the CAMB graduate group's
requirements and related topics.
Overview
| Requirements | Courses
(Click on links for course descriptions
below.)
CAMB 534: Seminar on
Current Genetic Research
CAMB 550: Genetic Principles
CAMB 608: Seminar in Regulation of
Eukaryotic Gene Expression
CAMB 630: Topics in Human Genetics
and Diseases
CAMB 752: Genomics
Suggested Elective Courses:
BIOL 483: Epigenetics
CAMB 511: Principles of Development
INSC 578: Behavioral Genetics
CAMB 512: Cancer Genetics and Biology
CAMB 530: Seminar in Cell Cycle and
Cancer
CAMB 620: Thematic Concepts in Developmental
Biology
CAMB
534: Seminar on current genetic research: Modeling Human Disease
in Animals.
An advanced seminar course
emphasizing genetic research in model organisms and how it
informs modern medicine. Each week a student will present
background on a specific human disease. This is followed by
an intense discussion by the entire class of ~2 recent papers
in which model organisms have been used to address the disease
mechanism and/or treatment. Offered spring semester. Prerequisites:
CAMB 605 or CAMB542 or permission of the instructor.
[up]
CAMB
550: Genetic Principles
2008
Syllabus
This is a required course
of the Genetics and Gene Regulation Program and is designed
to provide students with a comprehensive overview of genetic
concepts and methodology. The course is organized into three
parts: I Fundamental genetic concepts; II Genetics of model
organisms (with a focus on yeast, worms, flies and mice);
III Human genetics and disease. Each week there will be two
lectures and one associated discussion/problem-solving session.
Discussions emphasize practical aspects of generating and
interpreting genetic data. Offered spring semester. [up]
CAMB
608: Seminar in Regulation of Eukaryotic Gene Expression
An advanced seminar course
emphasizing the molecular biology and molecular genetics of
transcription in eukaryotes. Based on current literature,
the presentations and discussions will familiarize the student
with present day technology and developing principles. Prerequisites:
CAMB 555 and permission of instructors. Offered fall semester.
[up]
CAMB
630 : Topics in Human Genetics and Disease
Building on the foundations
of the Human Genome and HapMap projects, as well as parallel
efforts in model organisms, research in human genetics and
genomics is progressing rapidly. Our understanding of basic
concepts in genetics, and Mendelian and non-Mendelian human
genetic disease is proceeding at an unprecedented pace. This
course will provide students with an overview to approaches
to understanding current problems and techniques in human
genetics. The format will be an advanced seminar course, with
directed reading and students presentations. Prerequisites:
This course is designed for students with previous background
in graduate level genetics, i.e., CAMB graduate students having
taken CAMB 550, or students in MD/PhD, veterinary, genetic
counseling or nursing programs with equivalent courses. Offered
fall semester.[up]
CAMB
752: Genomics
The goals of this course
are to introduce the basic principles and methods involved
in mapping and sequencing genomes, familiarize the students
with the genomics-based infrastructures of information and
biological materials that are being developed as the various
genome projects progress, and examine how these new tools
and resources are being applied to specific research problems.
The course will focus on three main areas: Mapping and Sequencing
of Genomes, Functional Analysis of Genomic Information, and
Bioinformatics Issues. Offered spring semester. [up]
Suggested Elective Courses:
BIOL
483: Epigenetics
This course investigates
epigenetic phenomena: heritable alternate states of gene activity
that do not result from an alteration in nucleotide composition
(mutations). Epigenetic mechanisms regulate genome accessibility
and cell differentiation. They play a key role in normal development
and in oncogenesis. For example both mammalian X-chromosome
inactivation and nuclear transfer (cloning) are subject to
epigenetic regulation. Amongst the epigenetic mechanisms we
will discuss in this course are chromatin organization, histone
modification, DNA methylation and non-coding RNAs. The course
is geared at advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate
students and is a combination of lectures, student presentations
and research presentations by guest speakers. Students will
work with the current scientific literature. The class size
is limited to 22 students. Offered Spring semester. Course
director: Doris Wagner [up]
Biology
488/INSC 578 Behavioral Genetics
This course focuses on
the use of genetic techniques to study the molecular and cellular
bases of behavior. Particular emphasis will be given to the
role of genetic approaches in understanding the biological
processes underlying learning, memory storage, circadian rhythms
and drug abuse. Reverse genetic approaches utilizing gene
knockout and transgenic technology and forward genetic approaches
using mutagenesis and quantitative genetic techniques will
be discussed, as well as application of these studies to different
model organisms (fly, zebrafish, mouse). Genetic approaches
to behavior and complex disease in humans will be illustrated
with the series of lectures on bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
(Module 1) and neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders,
such as mental retardation, autism and Asperger syndrome,
Alzheimer’s disease and tauopathies (Module 2). Offered
spring semester.
CAMB
511: Principles of Development
2008
Syllabus
This graduate course, which
will include lectures and readings from the literature, is
designed to provide a foundation in the principles of developmental
biology. Topics covered will include: fertilization and cleavage,
gastrulation, germ layer formation, tissue specification,
morphogenesis, tissue differentiation, and organogenesis.
Molecular mechanisms by which pattern formation is generated
will be considered in depth. The use of modern molecular biology,
genetics, and embryological manipulations will be discussed
in the context of the analysis of developmental mechanisms.
Offered spring semester. [up]
CAMB
512: Cancer Genetics and Biology
2008
Syllabus
The course will involve
lectures and readings of important papers on cancer genetics,
cancer cell growth, metastasis, angiogenesis and experimental
therapeutics. Offered spring semester. [up]
CAMB 530: Seminar
in Cell Cycle and Cancer
This seminar course will
focus on molecular events which regulate cell cycle transitions
and their relevance to human cancer. Topics will include control
of the G1/S and G2/M transitions, relationships between tumor
suppressor genes such as p16, Rb, p53 or oncogenes such as
cyclin D, cdc25A, MDM2 or c-myc and cell cycle control. Where
appropriate, the focus will be on understanding regulation
of cell cycle control through transcriptional induction of
gene expression, protein associations, posttranslational modifications
like phosphorylation or regulation of protein stability like
ubiquitin degradation. Although achieving an improved understanding
of mammalian cancer is a goal of the course, much of our knowledge
of the cell cycle derives from work done in more genetically
tractable organisms, such as yeasts, drosophila, and xenopus.
Offered fall semester. [up]
CAMB 620: Molecular
Mechanisms of Development
The goal of the seminar
course is to promote a lively discussion about general strategies
used by cells and organisms in solving fundamental problems
occurring during development. We will cover issues raised
within two broad topics, as students present classic and current
papers from areas such as: Asymmetric Cell Division; Body
Axis Formation; Induction and Cell Signaling; Secondary Axis
(Limb) Formation; Organogenesis; Cell Differentiation; Cell
Migration; Neurogenesis; Germ Cell Development. This focus
will allow several sessions for each issue, enabling us to
define the problems, and explore attempts to get at their
solutions in different systems. Offered fall semester. [up]
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