Human Genomics: Implications for Health

HSCI 8610NEF

Course Guide

HUMAN GENOMICS: IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH

HSCI 8610NEF

Course Guide

HUMAN GENOMICS: IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH

Course Start Date

Spr 2026

Course Level

Postgraduate

Length in Terms

1 term

Credits

3

Language

English

Fees ($) (including lab fees)

Details

Future Terms

Quota and Schedule

Course Start Date	Course Level	Length in Terms	Credits	Language	Fees ($) (including lab fees)	Future Terms
Spr 2026	Postgraduate	1 term	3	English	Details

Quota and Schedule

Course Coordinator:

Dr Daniel Zhang Xin, BA (UMaine System); MB (GMU); PhD (CityUHK);Global Clinical Scholars Research Training Program (Harvard Medical School)

Introduction

HSCI 8610NEF Human Genomics: Implications for Health is a one-term, three-credit-unit, postgraduate level course offered to first year students of the Master of Science in Smart Ageing and Gerontology programme. This course is designed to provide students with the concrete knowledge on the components and organisation of the human genome. It serves as a background for delineating the role of genome variation in health and disease. Basic molecular diagnostic techniques will also be introduced so that students can understand the principles of common genetic tests. The importance of an individual's genetic make-up on health, susceptibility of disease and response to treatment will be elaborated. Last, the complementary relationship between genes and proteins will be introduced.

Aims

This course aims to:

introduce students to the structure of nucleic acids and their biochemical properties;
enable students to explain the effects of genetic mutations on health;
introduce students to the inheritance modes of genetic diseases;
appreciate the involvement and importance of genes, and the proteins they code for, in determining the health status of an individual;
introduce the concept of gene card and personalised medicine; and
enable students to explain the importance of the '-omics' approach in clinical research.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

describe the components of the human genome and their properties and functions;
explain the basis of inherited diseases based on genetic and protein conformation alterations;
explain the role of genes and proteins as underlying causes of diseases;
appraise the complexity of the human genome and its impact on health;
correlate the effects of individual genetic make-up on disease susceptibility and drug idiosyncrasy; and
appraise the adoption of the '-omics' approach in clinical research.

Contents

Structure and functions of the human genome
Genetics basis of diseases
Inheritance of single gene disorders
Genetic contribution to complex diseases
Cancer genetics and genomics
Molecular diagnosis of inherited diseases and associated controversies
Molecular basis of ageing
Pharmacogenomics
Application of genetics and genomics in disease prevention and treatment
Genomic and proteomics research: the past, present, and future

Learning support

Lectures, tutorials and seminar

Assessment

Continuous assessment includes an in-class discussion, a self-initiated case study and an individual assignment.

Electronic submission of assignments is allowed.

Online requirement

Access to OLE

Equipment and software

A computer with a word-processing software, preferably Microsoft Word, installed.

Set Book(s)

To be included in the course materials

Required/Essential readings

Ahmad, S. I. (2018). Aging: Exploring a complex phenomenon (1st ed.). CRC press.

Lambert, C. G., Baker, D., & Patrinos, G. (2018). Human genome informatics: Translating genes into health (1st ed.). Pearson.

Lewis, R. (2017). Human genetics (12th ed.). McGraw Hill Education.

Pierce, P. A. (2019). Genetics: A conceptual approach (7th ed.). W.H. Freeman.

Strachan, T., & Read, A. (2019). Human molecular genetics (5th ed.). Taylor & Francis Inc.

Recommended/Supplementary readings

Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics.

Goldberg, M., Fischer, J., Hood, L., & Hartwell, L. (2021). Genetics: From genes to genomes (7th ed.). McGraw Hill Education.

Lesk, A. M. (2017). Genomics (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.