Molecular and Cellular Basis of Human Disease

Catalog description

How do we go from identifying human pathologies to understanding the origin of the disease? Cells are the basic unit of life and the ultimate patient. Understanding normal cellular processes at the molecular level, and how they go awry, is essential to determining the pathogenesis of disease and developing effective therapies to improve human health. In this course, we will discuss the fundamental concepts and biochemical mechanisms that contribute to the functional organization of human cells and tissues and how disruption of these pathways due to genetic mutations or environmental factors leads to human diseases. We will also discuss methods and experimental approaches used to identify the underlying biochemical and genetic bases of diseases, as well as pharmaceutical and genetic therapies for treating the diseases.