Courses

This course introduces graduate students to biomedical research in a comprehensive format integrating organ system biology and clinical medicine with critical developments in the basic science research literature. Course topics include renal-electrolyte, cardiology, cancer, pulmonology, infectious diseases, endocrinology, neurology, rheumatology and immunology, hepatology and liver disease, gastroenterology, geriatrics, and hematology/oncology. Course work includes an overview of each biomedical field, clinical tours, discussions with leading physicians on the current challenges in patient care, and analysis of the basic science literature in a journal club forum.

This one-term course will explore the cellular basis of multiple disease states. The course, which meets twice a week (two hours each session), will be taught through both lecture and in class discussion of primary literature. Each of seven modules will examine normal cell biology and function and then define how defects in these processes lead to the spectrum of pathologies associated with each disease.  Discussion of how bench top findings can be translated to treatments in the clinic will be facilitated by a diverse faculty that includes both basic and physician scientists. The seven modules are as follows: the first examines insulin secretion and signaling and how these events are perturbed in diabetes mellitus. The second module focuses on cell-cell adhesion and its role in cancer progression and epithelial barrier function. The third module defines how defects in endocytosis of the low-density lipoprotein receptor leads to hypercholesterolemia. The fourth analyzes the cellular basis of hypertension and how altered internalization of the epithelial sodium channel leads to elevated blood pressure. The fifth module investigates the role of apical membrane recycling and how defects in aquaporin-2 traffic leads to nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. The sixth module appraises the current state of our understanding of cystic fibrosis and how degradation of defective cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator by the quality control machinery in the endoplasmic reticulum and cell periphery leads to disease. The last module examines cell migration in wound healing and angiogenesis. At the end of the course students will have an increased understanding of normal cellular function and how research in cell biology can lead to a deeper understanding of diseases that impact millions of people each year.

A laboratory course providing the student an opportunity to carry out a laboratory project under the direction of a member of the Program prior to admission to candidacy for the Ph.D.

This course will help students prepare to write their comprehensive exam proposals and will address other essential science communication skills, including research papers, oral and poster presentations, pitching ideas to industry, and web-based communication platforms.

The course will introduce students to a variety of computational tools for solving common problems in biological research. Students will be taught the Python programming language through hands on exercises and assignments. Students will acquire knowledge and programming skills that will increase their productivity as researchers.

The overall purpose of this course is to introduce students to basic probability and one and two sample procedures (point and interval estimation and hypothesis testing) for the Normal and Binomial distributions. Basic one and two sample nonparametric tests are also presented. This broad goal includes use of statistical software to analyze data sets and answer research questions; recognition of situations when these procedures are and are not appropriate; and intuitive understanding of the rationale used in creating the statistical procedures presented.

This course will present an opportunity for students to become familiar talking about critical aspects of being a researcher that they deem important including but not limited to, current scientific literature, biological, biostatical, or computational principles, laboratory techniques, and research-in-progress (RIP) reports. Each week, two students will lead 30 minute discussions either on their own primary research, or on topics of their choosing. For each presenter, time is allocated for questions and discussion of the relevant conclusions to allow development of presentation skills.

Students are required to perform three distinct five-week laboratory rotations in the summer/fall term of the first year. These rotations provide students with an opportunity to perform experimental research in three different scientific areas, while experiencing diverse laboratory environments and practices. They also facilitate selection of the dissertation laboratory and advisor. Students select the laboratory rotations based on their research interests and in consultation with their academic advisor.

After advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree, students enroll in this course to pursue original experimental laboratory research, the results of which will provide the substance of their doctoral dissertation. A minimum of 40 credits of this course are required for the Ph.D. degree in the School of Medicine.

This course will introduce the students to genomic data and basic analytical principles pertaining them.  The students will learn about high-throughput sequencing methods and applications, genomic variation, transcriptomics and epigenomic data. At the end of the course, the students will be able to analyze efficiently these type of datasets using existing algorithms or algorithms they will develop.