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