Topics in Molecular Medicine

Welcome to Topics in Molecular Medicine

Fall 2023

Topics in Molecular Medicine (TiMM) is planned as a seminar course whose goal is to introduce students to the ways in which biomedical research can provide new insights into clinical medicine and, conversely, how knowledge of clinical disease impacts scientific discovery. Due to space limitations, the course is open only to 1st year Combined Degree (MD/PhD) students. The course will meet for 90 minutes, approximately once a week. Class will first meet on Friday, September 8.

The course will be in a seminar style. The team involved in presentation involves ~4-5 students per session, with teams split between presenters and discussants. Each session has a different faculty member as a preceptor; this faculty member, in consultation with the course directors, has chosen one state-of-the-art research paper that provides mechanistic insight into a topic of clinical relevance. The faculty member will meet with the team of students before the class session to provide additional insight into the topic.

The team will present the clinical background of the problem, the scientific background for the paper, critically dissect the data and interpretations in the scientific paper, and discuss its implications. All of the students in the class will be expected to have read the research paper, to contribute a question for discussion, and to participate in the class discussion. Topics assignments for the semester will be made well in advance of the first class.