PAMM 940 Molecular Basis of Disease

This was an advanced graduate course offered in the Graduate College of the University of Nebraska on the UNMC (Medical Center) campus. The course was developed and taught by Steven D. Carson, Ph.D. and Maurice Godfrey, Ph.D., with a few select guest lecturers covering topics within their areas of expertise.

Classes met for 1.5 hr twice each week. The first hour was didactic lecture. Classes were typically small and the lecture frequently included questions and discussion. The final 30min of class was for discussion of current literature (one or two published papers). The discussion topic either extended the lecture material into related new findings, or broadened the session to cover important additional topics. 

The course was continually updated, and the outline and topical material was expected to change from year to year. The lectures did not provide comprehensive coverage of each topic, but rather focused on a few specific aspects within the topic for in-depth analysis.

Now that I have redirected my career to research and subsequent retirement, the course is now under the direction of Dr. Javeed Iqbal and modified according to his vision.

General topics as offered in prior years:

Lecture           Topic
Introduction/Review
1                      Course content, Expectations, Relevant Internet Resources                                           
2                      Basic human genetics overview: inheritance and the human genome
3                      Molecular end products of gene expression

Mendel and Population Genetics
4                      Pedigrees and modes of inheritance
5                      Hardy-Weinberg and Fitness
6                      Variation and polymorphisms
7                      Non-Mendelian inheritance
8                      Quantitative versus qualitative traits

Inborn errors: genetic deficiency produces phenotype
9                      Nucleic acid synthesis
10                    DNA/RNA synthesis and repair
11                    Glycolysis and TCA cycle
12                    Urea cycle
13                    Catabolic pathways and mechanisms
14                    Amino acid metabolism
15                    Carbohydrate catabolism/synthesis
16                    Lipid metabolism
17                    The human genome/SNPs
18                    Cancer and genes (colon cancer) – guest faculty
19                    Cancer and genes (breast cancer) – guest faculty
20                    Structural proteins I
21                    Structural proteins II
22                    Post-translational modifications
23                    Molecular transport
24                    Cancer and genes (lymphoma) – guest faculty
25                    Development: folic acid metabolism – guest faculty
26                    Hormone synthesis
27                    Hemostasis
28                    Newborn Screening – guest faculty

Host-pathogen interactions
29                    Co-evolving with pathogens

Society and the genome
30                    Social and ethical issues: discussion – guest faculty

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