| Overview
| Requirements | Courses
Genetics is a discipline of
central importance to the biomedical sciences. Genetic changes
underlie many human health problems, from single gene “Mendelian”
disorders to more complex traits such as diabetes, heart disease
and psychiatric disorders. With the expanding availability
of whole genome sequences, we know the gene content of many
organisms and have significant information about genetic variation
between species and between individuals. Indeed, we are now
in an age where private companies offer personal genome sequencing.
But what do all these sequences mean? What are the functions
of all those predicted genes in development, metabolism or
behavior? Which genetic variants are actually responsible
for our phenotypic differences? Which variants predispose
to disease? How do the different cells in your body know which
genes to express, and how is this massive regulatory task
accomplished? Can we manipulate gene expression patterns to
generate desired cell types? These are the sorts of questions
that modern genetics seeks to address.
The Genetics and Gene Regulation
(GGR) program provides comprehensive training in model organism
genetics, human and quantitative genetics, and gene regulation
and epigenetics. There is a large and diverse community of
geneticists on the UPenn campus that includes the Genetics
department as well as members of many other basic science
and clinical departments at UPenn, Children’s Hospital,
the Wistar Institute and the Fox Chase Cancer Center. Activities
sponsored by our program include Genetics journal clubs and
topic clubs,
seminars, weekly student
and postdoc research presentations, and a monthly “Final
Friday” dinner and social gathering. GGR maintains close
ties with the Genomics
and Computational Biology (GCB) graduate group, and students
with interests that span Genetics and Genomics can select
coursework and dual mentors from both programs. Laboratories
in the GGR 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
genetics of diabetes and
metabolism
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 (see Curriculum
page)
CAMB 605 (see Curriculum
page)
CAMB 550 (Genetic Principles)
CAMB 608 (Regulation of Eukaryotic Gene Expression).
3 electives
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. Additional information may be found at http://www.med.upenn.edu/bgs/Current_Students_Courses.shtml))
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 446:Statistics
for Biologists
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 695: Scientific Writing
CAMB 697: The Biology of Stem Cells
GCB 535: Introduction to BioInformatics
GCB 536: Computational Biology
Required program courses
CAMB
550: Genetic Principles
2009 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
2008-09
Syllabus
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]
Elective program courses
CAMB
534: Seminar on current genetic research: Modeling Human Disease
in Animals.
2009 Syllabus
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
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]
Other Suggested Elective Courses:
BIOL
446: Statistics for Biologists
Introductory probability
theory. Principles of statistical methods. Problems of estimation
and hypothesis testing in biology and related areas. Offered
fall semester.[up]
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]
BIOM
520 : BGS Biostatistics Workshop
This is an intensive 3-week,
0.5 CU summer course that is designed to introduce Biomedical
Graduate Studies doctoral students to basic biostatistical
methods and analyses. The class meets Monday through Friday
morning for 90 minutes and includes both lectures and computer
labs. Topics covered in the lectures include basic methods
for describing data, the use of estimation and hypothesis
testing, issues related to multiple comparisons and false
detection, the use of parametric vs. nonparametric statistical
methods and regression analysis. The focus of the computer
lab will be to work on data analysis exercises using SAS software
(or JMP for those who are Mac-based). Students will be able
to analyze a small dataset of their own for their presentation.
Offered in the Summer. [up]
CAMB
511: Principles of Development
2009
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]
CAMB 695: Scientific
Writing
This 6-week course is designed
for second year CAMB graduate students preparing for qualifying
examinations. This course first introduces students to basic
scientific writing skills. Participants will review the general
principles of clear, persuasive writing, and will apply these
principles to writing for a scientific audience. Particular
emphasis will be placed on the structure, style, and contents
of scientific papers and grant proposals. Each week students
will complete a brief written exercise; the majority of class
time will be spent in discussing student writing. Offered
spring semester. [up]
CAMB 697: The
Biology of Stem Cells
2008
Syllabus
This course will be directed
towards second year PhD, MD/PhD, and VMD/PhD graduate students
as an elective course and is intended as an introduction and
in-depth discussion course focused on the biology of stem
cells. The course will focus on basic mechanisms regulating
self renewal, pluripotency and regeneration biology. Topics
will include biology of the niche, spermatogonial stem cells,
embryonic stem cells, epigenetics and reprogramming, cancer
stem cells, regeneration, tissue engineering and one session
will focus on legal and ethical issues. In addition, the course
will focus on selected examples of adult stem cells with an
introduction to translational medicine approaches involving
stem cell biology. Course instructors will ensure continuity
and will be responsible for evaluating the students, while
visiting experts from the Penn community will deliver specialized
lectures, choose appropriate papers relevant to their topic,
and direct the related discussion sessions. In addition, the
course will be integrated with a new Stem Cell Seminar series,
whenever possible, and will provide the students with special
interactions and access to visiting experts in the stem cell
field. Offered spring semester. [up]
GCB 535: Introduction
to BioInformatics
This course provides a
broad overview of bioinformatics and computational biology
as applied to biomedical research. Course material is geared
towards answering specific biological questions ranging from
detailed analysis of a single gene through whole-genome analysis,
transcriptional profiling, and systems biology. The relevant
principles underlying these methods will be addressed at a
level appropriate for biologists without a background in computational
sciences. This course should enable students to integrate
modern bioinformatics tools into their research program. Offered
fall semester. . [up]
GCB 536: Computational
Biology
An introductory computational
biology course designed for computational scientists. The
course will cover fundamentals of algorithms, statistics,
and mathematics as applied to biological problems. In particular,
emphasis will be given to biological problem modeling. Students
will be expected to learn the basic algorithms underlying
computational biology, basic mathematical / statistical proofs
and molecular biology. Topics to be covered are genome annotation
and string algorithms, pattern search and statistical learning,
molecular evolution and phylogenetics and small molecule folding.
Offered spring semester. [up]
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.
[top
of page] |
