Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
The College's basic medical science departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Biological Chemistry, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and Physiology and Biophysics participate jointly with the School of Biological Sciences in offering graduate instruction leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Biological Sciences. The Departments of Community and Environmental Medicine, Radiological Sciences, and Pharmacology offer M.S. and Ph.D. programs. In addition, the Department of Pediatrics offers an M.S. degree in Genetic Counseling.
Application materials may be obtained by writing to the individual graduate programs or the:
University of California, Irvine
Office of Research and Graduate Studies
120 Administration Building
Irvine, CA 92697-3175
(949) 824-7295
364 Medical Surge II; (949) 824-6050
E-mail: anatomy@uci.edu
World Wide Web: http://www.com.uci.edu/~anatomy/
Richard T. Robertson, Department Chair
Faculty
Tallie Z. Baram: Developmental neurobiology of seizures; CNS mechanisms of stress response
Robert H. Blanks: Vestibular physiology and anatomy
Ralph A. Bradshaw: Growth factor action; signal transduction; protein processing
Anne L. Calof: Developmental neurobiology; molecular mechanisms of neurogenesis and programmed cell death
James H. Fallon: Neuronal growth factors and neurotransmitter interactions
Christine M. Gall, Department Vice Chair: Regulation of neuronal gene expression; neurotropic factors
Roland A. Giolli: Experimental neuroanatomy; visual system
Herbert P. Killackey: Developmental neuroanatomy; somatosensory system
Leonard M. Kitzes: Auditory system physiology and development
Frances M. Leslie: Effects of drugs of abuse on central nervous system development
W. Ian Lipkin: Molecular/cellular biology of neurotropic viruses; Borna disease virus; animal models for neuropsychiatric diseases
Diane K. O'Dowd: Regulation of neuronal excitability; development of functional synaptic connections
Charles E. Ribak: Neurocytology; neurotransmitters; neuronal circuitry
Richard T. Robertson: Developmental neurobiology; forebrain development
Martin A. Smith: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of synapse formation
Ivan Soltesz: Molecular and cellular neurobiology
John E. Swett (Emeritus): Peripheral nervous system, spinal cord, pain mechanisms
Ji Szc: Molecular neurobiology; gene expression in C. Elegans
John H. Weiss: Mechanisms of neural degeneration
Research programs in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology focus on the neurosciences. Faculty interests range across the broad field of neuroscience research, including cellular and molecular neurobiology, mechanisms of development, ion channel physiology, experimental neuroanatomy, structure and function of sensory and motor systems, and response to injury and regeneration. The Department maintains facilities for electron microscopy, laser confocal microscopy, and computer-based imaging and informatics. Students performing graduate work in the Department are encouraged to become proficient in multiple areas of neuroscience using interdisciplinary techniques.
The Department offers graduate training in neuroscience under the auspices of the School of Biological Sciences in conjunction with the combined program in Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Biochemistry (MBGB), which is described in a previous section. The program leads to the Ph.D. degree in Biological Sciences. In concert with several other departments, a combined neuroscience core curriculum has been developed which includes course offerings in systems neurobiology, neurophysiology, and cellular, molecular, and developmental neurobiology. These courses may be taken as complete or partial fulfillment of the elective requirements of the MBGB program. Students wishing to enter the Department's graduate program are encouraged to include some or all of these courses during their first and second years in the combined program.
Students admitted into the MBGB program who subsequently select a focus in the Neurobiology track and a research advisor in the Department, begin following the departmental requirements for the Ph.D. at the beginning of their third year. Students are required to attend departmental seminars and participate in the Department's Journal Club. The dissertation research topic is chosen by the student in consultation with the research advisor. The majority of the third and fourth years are devoted to research. By the end of the third year, students take their advancement-to-candidacy examination by presenting and defending a proposal for specific dissertation research. Students are expected to graduate within five years of entering the program.
Course descriptions may be found in the School of Biological Sciences section.
Building D, Room 240, Medical Sciences I; (949) 824-6051
Suzanne B. Sandmeyer, Department Chair
Faculty
Stuart M. Arfin: Gene regulation in E. coli
Deborah L. Grady: Mapping and sequence analysis of the human genome
Chris L. Greer: RNA processing and nuclear export; tRNA gene expression
Harry T. Haigler: Structure, function, and topography of annexin calcium binding proteins on membranes
John W. Jacobs: Identify and characterize anti-coagulant compounds from natural sources
Murray Korc: Alterations in signal transduction pathways in human disease
John Krolewski: Signal transduction in mammalian cells
Haoping Liu: Signal transduction, cell cycle regulation, hypha development in yeast
Calvin S. McLaughlin: Functional genomic analysis
Frank Meyskens: Biology of melanoma
Robert K. Moyzis: Chromosome structure and gene expression
Masayasu Nomura: RNA polymerase I; nucleolus and ribosome synthesis; nuclear transport and function
Suzanne B. Sandmeyer: Retrovirus-like elements in yeast; genomewide gene expression during stress
Moyra Smith: Development and tissue-specific changes in gene expression; human gene mapping
Robert E. Steele: Molecular biology of Hydra development
Leslie M. Thompson: Molecular/biochemical analysis of skeletal dysplasias and Huntington's Disease
Larry E. Vicery: Metalloproteins; steroid hormone biosynthesis and receptors; molecular chaperones
Ping H. Wang: Molecular actions of Insulin-like growth factor I (IGFI) in cardiac muscle
Kyoko Yokomori: Gene expression and chromatin structure
Faculty research interests in the Department of Biological Chemistry focus on the structure and function of chromosomes, signal transduction and its role in cell growth control, regulation of gene expression (transcription, RNA splicing, protein synthesis, and protein localization), and the molecular basis of development. Genome sequencing projects are making it possible for faculty to exploit information learned about gene function in model organisms for understanding human disease processes. Students are exposed to technical expertise in all facets of current research in molecular biochemistry from protein chemistry to genetic engineering and gene mapping. Currently, researchers in the Department are using new DNA array technology to examine changes in gene expression in response to the environment.
The Department offers graduate study under the auspices of the School of Biological Sciences and in conjunction with the program in Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Biochemistry, which is described in a previous section. Students admitted into the combined program who select a research advisor in the Department begin following the departmental requirements for the Ph.D. at the beginning of their third year. Students are required to attend and participate in the departmental research seminar and are required to attend departmental seminars. In addition, students are required to complete two advanced-level graduate courses subsequent to entering the Department's Ph.D. concentration. In the third year, students take the advancement-to-candidacy examination for the Ph.D. degree by presenting and defending a proposal for specific dissertation research. Completion of the Ph.D. normally requires five years of graduate study.
Course descriptions may be found in the School of Biological Sciences section.
Several faculty within the Department also are members of the graduate program in Protein Engineering, which is described in the School of Biological Sciences section.
370 Medical Surge II; (949) 824-8642
Ronald C. Shank, Department Chair (Acting)
Faculty
Dean B. Baker: Environmental medicine and clinical toxicology; epidemiology; clinical effects of heavy metals, pesticides, and hazardous waste
Kenneth M. Baldwin: Exercise physiology and muscular stress
Stephen C. Bondy: Neurotoxicology; biochemical changes in membranes resulting from toxic exposures
Byung H. (Ben) Choi: Mechanisms in chemical pathology; toxicology of heavy metals in the central nervous system
Anumantha Kanthasamy: The role of neurotoxicants in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative disorders, especially Parkinson's disease
Yutaka Kikkawa: Pulmonary free radical biology; cytochrone P-450 enzyme system; relationship to toxicity of environmental pollutants, oxygen toxicity and ARDS; evaluation of sexual differentiation after neonatal insults with xenobiotics and hyperoxia
Michael T. Kleinman: Uptake and distribution of inhaled toxic materials in the respiratory tract; effects of air pollutants on cardiopulmonary function
Calvin S. McLaughlin: Biochemical toxicology and regulation of protein synthesis; mechanisms of action of mycotoxins including trichothecenes
Daniel B. Menzel: Toxicokinetics and mechanisms of carcinogenesis; biochemical toxicology
Betty H. Olson: Environmental microbiology and water chemistry; public policy issues in environmental toxicology
Robert F. Phalen: Biophysics, aerosol science, and inhalation toxicology; toxicity of mixtures of particles and gases, lung defenses, and particle deposition in airways.
Boctor Said: DNA modification by successive exposure to multiple carcinogens; gene cloning to produce a protein to serve as a biomarker for cervial and breast cancer
Ronald C. Shank: Biochemical mechanisms in toxic tissue injury with emphasis on chemical carcinogenesis; application of tools of molecular biology to study cytotoxicity
The Department of Community and Environmental Medicine provides training in environmental toxicology, culminating with the award of the degree of Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Toxicology. The program in Environmental Toxicology provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary and appropriate to teach and/or conduct basic and applied research programs in inhalation/pulmonary toxicology, environmental carcinogenesis, biochemical neurotoxicology, chemical pathology, phototoxicity, toxicology of natural products, and toxicokinetics.
Toxicology involves scientific study of the entry, distribution, biotransformation, and mechanism of action of chemical agents harmful to the body. The program interprets environmental toxicology as the study of the effects and mechanisms of action of hazardous chemicals in food, air, water, and soil, in the home, workplace, and community, and considers experimentally and theoretically such diverse research problems as: (1) new scientific approaches to toxicological evaluation of environmental chemicals such as air and water pollutants, food additives, industrial wastes, and agricultural adjuvants; (2) mechanisms of action in chemical carcinogenesis and mutagenesis; (3) the molecular pathology of tissue injury in acute toxicity; and (4) scientific principles involved in extrapolating from laboratory animal data to expected effects on human health in environmental exposures.
Students entering the program have varied backgrounds, including chemistry, biology, and physiology. The curriculum is based on a foundation of basic and health sciences with applications of scientific principles to environmental problems. Formal course work is enriched by a strong commitment to student-professor interaction throughout the program. An important and integral part of the learning process is an early and intensive involvement of the student in ongoing original research projects in environmental toxicology, especially inhalation/pulmonary toxicology, chemical carcinogenesis, biochemical toxicology, chemical pathology, and neurotoxicology.
In addition to meeting the general admission requirements set by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, applicants must be admitted by an Admissions Committee composed of faculty members from the Department of Community and Environmental Medicine. Candidates are selected on the basis of a balanced evaluation of the following criteria: (1) prior scholastic performance, including a consideration of grade point average, course load, nature of courses taken, and college attended; (2) recommendations by professors and others; (3) scores on the Graduate Record Examination; the Subject Test in either Biology or Chemistry is strongly recommended; (4) an interview by the Admissions Committee, when feasible; and (5) experience in undergraduate research. The applicant must have received a bachelor's degree in a biological or physical science, in a premedical curriculum, or have an acceptable equivalent. Applicants with a bachelor's degree in engineering may qualify for admission into the program if they have had sufficient training in the biological and physical sciences.
Undergraduate preparation of applicants should include six quarter units in general biology, zoology, bacteriology, or anatomy; 12 quarter units in mathematics, including calculus through vector analysis and differential equations; 12 quarter units of chemistry, including four quarter units of organic chemistry; 12 quarter units of physics, including optics; and four quarter units in molecular biology or biochemistry. Outstanding applicants who lack one or two of these prerequisites may be given an opportunity to take the required course(s) either before admission or during the first year in the graduate program; in such circumstances, none of these undergraduate courses may be used to satisfy the program elective or core course requirements. Upper-division or graduate science courses may be considered as substitutes for the above prerequisites by the Admissions Committee.
The graduate core curriculum for the Ph.D. degree includes Environmental Toxicology 201, 206A-B, 207, 298A-B-C, and 16 units from an approved elective pool. This pool consists of Environmental Toxicology 202, 204, 212, 220, 230; Physiology 206A-B; Anatomy 203A-B; Molecular Biology and Biochemistry 203, 204; and Developmental and Cell Biology 231B. Ph.D. students must also fulfill comprehensive examination, qualifying examination, teaching, and research dissertation requirements.
Requirements for the M.S. degree may be satisfied in one of two ways: Under Plan I, students complete the core program (Environmental Toxicology 201, 206A-B, 207, 298A-B, 299A-B-C, and eight units from the approved elective pool) with an average grade of B or better, and, under the direction of a faculty advisor, prepare a thesis that is acceptable to the thesis committee. Under Plan II, students complete the core program (Environmental Toxicology 201, 206A-B, 207, 290A-B-C, 298A-B-C, and eight units from the approved elective pool) with an average grade of B or better, prepare a scholarly paper based on individual study in an area of toxicology under the supervision of a faculty member, and satisfactorily pass the written comprehensive examination.
Opportunities for individual training and independent research experience exist in inhalation and pulmonary toxicology, atmospheric chemistry and aerosol science, chemical carcinogenesis, neurochemistry, biochemical toxicology, toxicology of naturally occurring compounds, exercise physiology and stress, chemical pathology, and environmental microbiology and chemistry.
Research grants and contracts are available to support qualified students as research assistants.
201 Principles of Toxicology (4) F. Problem solving to demonstrate principles of toxicology; quantitative dose-response relationship; toxicant-target (receptor) interaction emphasizing interspecies differences in Ah receptor and dioxins; complete in vivo metabolism of xenobiotics by mammalian systems; integration of organ responses to toxic agents.
202 Environmental Toxicology (4) W. Analysis of real problems involving toxic chemicals and the human food, air, and water supplies, occupational exposures, and life styles. Formal problems will be considered by small groups of students and discussed by the class. Prerequisite: Toxicology 201.
204 Neurotoxicology (4) F, even years. The effects of various harmful chemicals upon nervous system function. Emphasis given to the molecular events underlying neurological damage and to the relation of such processes to basic mechanisms of neurobiology.
206A-B Target Organ Toxicity (6-6) F, W. Analysis of responses occurring in twelve organ systems of humans exposed to environmental chemicals at toxic levels; distinctive cellular and tissue structure and physiological function; toxicological responses discussed in terms of phenomena, mechanisms of action, and methods of study.
207 Experimental Design and Interpretation of Toxicology Studies (2) W. Introduction to methods of structuring toxicology experiments and analyzing data including experimental design, data distributions, sample sizes, hypothesis testing, linear regression, analysis of variance, multiple comparison testing, and non-parametric tests.
208 Experimental Molecular Toxicology (4). Techniques in mutagenesis research including DNA damage and repair in specific sequences and genes, in single cells and cell populations in microbial and mammalian systems, and in transgenic mice; method for screening and sequence analysis of mutations.
212 Inhalation Toxicology (4) S, odd years. The principles and practice of laboratory inhalation toxicology. Topics include aerosols, gases, respiratory tract structure and function, lung defenses, aerosol deposition exposure techniques, characterization of exposure atmospheres, experimental designs, animal models, and regulations and guidelines.
220 Industrial Toxicology (4) F. Analysis of responsibilities toxicologists have in industry, including product safety, generating material safety data sheets, animal testing, ecotoxicological testing, risk/hazard communication, and assisting industrial hygienists and occupational physicians; emphasis on interdisciplinary nature of industrial toxicology and communication skills. Prerequisite: Environmental Toxicology 206A-B.
230 Chemical Mutagenesis and Carcinogenesis (4) F. Molecular mechanisms in carcinogenesis; structure-activity relationships; DNA repair; multistage models; proto-oncogenes and oncogenes; experimental bases for mechanisms; mutagenicity and carcinogenicity testing. Prerequisites: graduate standing, Environmental Toxicology 201, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry 203.
290 Independent Study in Environmental Toxicology (4) F, W, S. With consent from a faculty member who will supervise the program, a student may receive credit for individual study in some area of toxicology, culminating in the completion of a scholarly paper on the subject. May be repeated for credit as the topics vary.
297 Advanced Topics in Occupational Toxicology (2) F, W, S. Discussions with clinical and research faculty in environmental toxicology and occupational medicine on current toxicology problems in the workplace and critical review of current publications in the field. Journal club/seminar format.
298A-B-C Environmental Toxicology Seminar (2) F, W, S. Presentation and discussion of current research problems and issues by students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and guests, covering the broad research and policy areas of environmental toxicology. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. Open to Environmental Toxicology graduate students only.
299 Research Problems (1 to 12) F, W, S. Research work for the M.S. thesis or Ph.D. dissertation.
Building 27, Route 81, UCI Medical Center; (714) 456-5789
Maureen Bocian, Division Chief
Ann P. Walker, Graduate Program Director
Faculty
Maureen Bocian: Heterogeneity and variability in genetic syndromes; new syndrome identification; skeletal dysplasias; neurofibromatosis
John Jay Gargus: Genetic metabolic diseases; molecular genetics of cell membrane disorders
Moyra Smith: Development and chromosomal assignment of DNA probes for human genes; linkage and gene mapping in neurogenetic disorders; genetics and regulation of alcohol metabolizing enzymes
M. Anne Spence: Population and quantitative genetics; linkage and mapping
Kathryn Steinhaus: Prenatal genetic diagnosis
Ann P. Walker: Genetic counseling; delivery of genetic services; computer uses in clinical genetics; genetics education; cancer genetics
The Division of Human Genetics in the College of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics offers graduate education leading to the Master of Science degree in Genetic Counseling. Graduates of the program are prepared to function as members of genetics teams engaged in providing clinical services, teaching, and research. Other roles for program graduates may include employment in local, state, or federal genetics programs, in categorical disease foundations, or in public education.
Division faculty and staff are involved in teaching, research, and patient service. Clinical activities include evaluation, early ascertainment, prenatal diagnosis, prevention, and management of genetic disorders, birth defects, and developmentally disabling conditions. Among faculty research interests are gene mapping and linkage analysis using DNA probes and quantitative methods; delineation of new malformation and chromosomal syndromes; late-onset single-gene disorders; the incidence and perception of genetic disease, birth defects, and developmental disabilities in underserved ethnic populations; factors in the etiology of chromosomal abnormalities and congenital malformations; the cytogenetics of cancer and sexual differentiation; psychosocial issues in genetic disease and prenatal diagnosis; and delivery of genetic services.
During the six to eight academic quarters of the program, students must complete a sequence of core courses in medical genetics, biochemical and molecular genetics, cytogenetics, child development, counseling issues and techniques, research methodology, ethical issues, and community resources. Experiential professional training occurs concurrently with formal course work in a variety of clinics at the UCI Medical Center and affiliated hospitals, in the prenatal diagnosis program, in the cytogenetics laboratory, and in certain community agencies. Participation in these and other divisional and departmental professional and educational activities such as lectures, seminars, Pediatric and Obstetrics Grand Rounds, cytogenetics rounds, and research, counseling, and patient management conferences is expected throughout the program.
Completion of the program requires a minimum of 58 quarter units of credit, a research thesis which should be publishable, and demonstration of satisfactory professional skills in genetic counseling. The program director serves as faculty advisor to students, although teaching and supervision of professional experiential training is shared among all division faculty and staff, who frequently review student progress. In the second year, development of professional skills can be individualized according to the student's needs and interests. It is anticipated that graduates will be eligible for American Board of Genetic Counseling certification within a year of completing the program.
Recommended undergraduate preparation includes course work in the biological and social sciences, especially in genetics, biochemistry, psychology, and human development. Course work in statistics is desirable. Facility in Spanish or a Southeast Asian language is a considerable asset. Extracurricular and/or employment experiences which provide evidence of the student's maturity, interpersonal skills, and promise as a genetic counselor figure prominently in the admissions decision. References should speak to these qualities as well as to the academic qualifications of the applicant. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores must be submitted and Subject Test scores will be considered if they are available.
Applications are accepted for the fall quarter only and must be completed by February 1. Because of keen competition for places in the program, a two-stage admissions process is employed, with approximately one-fifth of the applicants being invited for interviews at UCI following an initial review of applications by the faculty. Interviews usually are conducted from March through mid-April, and the final selection is made from among the interviewed candidates by late April.
200A Introduction to Medical Genetics and Cytogenetics (4) F. Lecture, three hours. Covers current concepts regarding mitosis, meiosis, the cell cycle, and chromosome ultrastructure and function. Clinical disorders caused by chromosomal aneuploidy, duplication, and deletion, and principles of Mendelian, chromosomal, and multifactorial and nontraditional inheritance are presented and illustrated.
200B Quantitative Genetics, Genetic Screening, Teratology (4) W. Lecture, three hours; cytogenetics conference, one hour. Quantitative aspects of human genetics, including population studies, linkage analysis, and genetic risk determination. Principles and techniques of prenatal, neonatal, and heterozygote screening. Pregnancy, delivery, and pre- and postnatal growth and development, with attention to reproductive and fetal effects of drugs, radiation, and other environmental factors. Prerequisite: 200A. Genetic Counseling 200B amd 200F may not both be taken for credit.
200C Human Genetic Disorders (4) S. Lecture, three hours; cytogenetics conference, one hour. Reviews a wide variety of genetic diseases, syndromes, and malformations from the standpoints of inheritance, diagnosis, natural history, and management. Prerequisites: 200A and 200B.
200D Disorders Due to Inborn Errors of Metabolism (4) F or W (alternate years). Lecture, three hours. Aspects of biochemistry and metabolism are reviewed with special emphasis on genetic abnormalities which lead to inborn errors of metabolism. Diagnostic procedures, heterozygote detection, treatment, counseling issues, and prenatal diagnosis are reviewed. Prerequisite: 200A or consent of instructor.
200E Molecular Genetics (4) S (alternate years). Lecture, two hours. The derivation of different types of DNA probes and DNA libraries, restriction endonuclease polymorphisms, assignment of genes to chromosomes, and genetic linkage. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of recombinant DNA technologies and genetic linkage analysis for diagnosis of human genetic disease. Prerequisite: 200A, 200D, or consent of instructor.
200F Quantitative Genetics (2) W. Quantitative aspects of human genetics, including population studies, segregations analysis, and genetic risk determination. Prerequisite: 200A or consent of instructor. Genetic Counseling 200F and 200B may not both be taken for credit.
200G Hereditary Cancer Counseling (4) S. Elements of genetic counseling for hereditary cancer. Cancer biology: genetic mechanisms and environmental influences in carcinogenesis; tumor pathology; cancer epidemiology and gene mapping. Diagnosis, prevention, surveillance and treatment for inherited cancers. Psychosocial, ethical, and legal aspects of cancer risk assessment. Prerequisites: Genetic Counseling 200A, 200B.
200L Cytogenetics Laboratory (4) W, S, Summer. Laboratory, 10 hours/week. A practicum introducing methods of specimen collection, short-term lymphocyte and bone marrow culture, long-term fibroblast and amniocyte culture, harvesting and slide preparation, chromosome staining, microphotography, and darkroom techniques. Microscopic chromosome analysis, photographic karyotyping, and the appropriate use of cytogenetic nomenclature are emphasized. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.
201A Introduction to Genetic Counseling (2) F. Seminar and fieldwork. By observing genetics evaluations, consultations, and patient management conferences, and through directed readings and discussions, students are introduced to the process of diagnosis, management, and counseling for genetic disease. Psychosocial issues in genetics are emphasized; instruction includes interviewing techniques, pedigree construction, and various other clinical skills. Corequisite: Genetic Counseling 202A. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.
201B Clinical Rotation I (4) W, S, Summer. Fieldwork. Provides extensive supervised experience in history taking, interviewing, and psychosocial assessment in the clinical genetics setting. Students independently perform telephone, office, and home-visit intake interviews, participate in counseling, and present cases at patient management conferences. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.
201C Clinical Rotation II (4) S, Summer. Fieldwork. Provides further supervised experience in genetic counseling, case management, clinic administration and organization, and the use of community resources. Emphasis is on sharpening counseling skills and on developing a professional identity and code of ethics. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.
201D Prenatal Diagnosis Counseling (4) Summer. Fieldwork. A practicum with extensive supervised experience in prenatal diagnosis counseling which provides the student with the opportunity to conduct genetic counseling sessions semi-independently and to further develop clinical skills. Open only to Genetic Counseling students. Prerequisites: 200A, 200B, and 200C.
202A Counseling in Human Genetics: Theory and Methods (3) F. Theoretical approaches, counseling models and methods, and bio-psychosocial assessment strategies are examined in the context of genetic counseling. Contract-setting, working alliance, the use of self and evaluation methods. Beginning counseling and peer supervision skills are practiced in class. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.
202B Community Resources (2) W. Lectures, guest speakers, and community visits acquaint the genetic counselor with public and private health care and funding agencies, parent support and advocacy groups, and other resources available to assist individuals and families confronted with genetic disorders, developmental disabilities, and birth defects. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.
202C Ethical Issues in Human Genetics (2) S. Explores major social, legal, and ethical issues in genetic counseling including those arising in genetic screening, prenatal diagnosis, informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, rights of the disabled, new genetic and reproductive technologies, treatment, and access to services. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
203 Child Development for Genetic Counselors (4) S (alternate years). Overview of normative human development from conception through adolescence. Impact of genetic disease and/or developmental disability at various stages of cognitive, perceptual, motoric, social, and emotional development. Family dynamics and issues of separation/individuation, sexual identity formation, and teen pregnancy issues. Open only to Genetic Counseling students. Formerly Genetics 203A and 203B.
204 Professional Skills Development (4) F, W, S. Hones and augments existing competencies in genetic counseling through ongoing clinical experiences. Students develop skills in use of computers for genetics applications, provision of community and professional education, and clinic administration. Further experience in genetics laboratories or specialty clinics may be elected by students. Open only to Genetic Counseling students.
295 Master's Thesis Research and Writing (2 to 8) F, W, S. Tutorial. Under the supervision of one or more faculty members, the student designs and conducts a research project or completes a case report. A problem in the cytogenetics, biochemical, clinical, psychosocial, or behavioral areas of medical genetics may be investigated. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
