Genetics and Molecular Biology

Catalog description

The course is divided in two major areas. The first area in this course is molecular biology focused in the basic structure, properties and functions of nucleic acids and proteins. Topics discussed are DNA and RNA structure, replication, repair and recombination, DNA transcription, and RNA processing and translation. The second area is a survey of genetics. Within this area, the following topics are presented: genetic terminology, patterns of inheritance and its variations in family and population level, genetic pedigree and its importance, and chromosome abnormalities and their relationship with disease. The clinical aspects of genetics, syndromes and prenatal diagnosis are presented. Topics will be presented through lectures, literature discussion and students’ presentations.