ALS 407: Personal Genomics and Health
Course Number: ALS 407
Course Name: Personal Genomics and Health
Year: Second-year
Semester: Fall
No. Units: .5
Faculty/Instructor(s): Animesh Ray
Description
The Genie (the genome) is finally out of the bottle! Whether we like it or not, personal genome sequencing will increasingly (within two decades exhaustively) instruct clinical diagnosis and prognosis of diseases and disease propensities. The questions are the following: Are clinically important manifestations predictable through examining the sequence of the whole genome? To what extent the genome makes our individual susceptibility to diseases and reaction to drugs unique? This course surveys the technology currently available for whole genome sequencing, the technical advancements that must occur before "$1,000 a genome" becomes a reality, the source and range of variations in human genomes, current methods and theories that associate variants with disease susceptibilities/drug responsiveness, their respective weaknesses, and ethical, legal, and business implications of personal genomics. Beyond the initial survey of this burgeoning field that is poised to revolutionize biotechnology and the practice of medicine in the developed world, this course will provide an in depth analysis of salient examples through a critical reading of the primary literature.
Essential Reading
An anthology of review articles and original papers will be available before the course begins.
Prerequisites
Molecular biology, genetics, cell biology, biochemistry
Topics Covered
Principles of human genetics (Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, genetic mapping, haplotypes, linkage and linkage disequilibrium)
Human genome variation (population structure, effects of inbreeding and migration)
Genome Wide Association Studies and their weaknesses
Whole genome sequencing methods
The power of genome sequencing in families
Impact of personal genome sequencing on pharmaceutical development
Learning Objectives
Students will learn to understand important points in original current research publications on personal genomics issues
Students will learn the importance of diverse disciplines that have the potential to impact human health through personal genomics
Grading
Quiz 10%
Exam 50%
Presentation 40%