Human Genetics C: Complex Traits

Catalog description

This course explores the human genome landscape, how individuals vary, and gene identification for multigenic traits and disorders. GENET 586 Human Genetics C: Complex Traits (1) With the completion of the human genome project, genes underlying almost all "simple" mendelian traits have now been identified. A new challenge is to identify genes involved in common traits and disorders such as hypertension or obesity. This course will explore the human genome landscape, human genome variation, principals of population genetics and experimental approaches to identify genes involved in these important complex disorders. This course will be offered as part of 3 one-unit courses in Human Genetics that cover (1) identification and analysis of chromosomes and disease genes, (2) the human genome and complex traits, and (3) chromosome behavior and non-mendelian inheritance. The full three unit series may be taken in its entirety although each one-unit course is completely independent of the other two courses. Students will be evaluated by their class participation and performance on take-home assignments that require the students to solve problems, evaluate experiments, or logically address research questions.