Chair: Jay C. Dunlap
Professors V. R. Ambros (Genetics), C. N. Cole (Biochemistry and Genetics), M. D. Cole (Pharmacology and Genetics), J. C. Dunlap (Genetics and Biochemistry), M. L. Guerinot (Biological Sciences), M. A. Israel (Pediatrics and Genetics), J. J. Loros (Biochemistry and Genetics), C. R. McClung (Biological Sciences), T. K. Mohandas (Pathology and Genetics), N. A. Speck (Biochemistry), R. K. Taylor (Microbiology and Immunology), W. T. Wickner (Biochemistry); Associate Professors B. A. Arrick (Medicine), S. E. Bickel (Biological Sciences), C. Brenner (Genetics and Biochemistry), P. J. Dolph (Biological Sciences), S. N. Fiering (Microbiology and Immunology and Genetics), R. H. Gross (Biological Sciences), T. P. Jack (Biological Sciences), E. J. Lambie (Biological Sciences), J. H. Moore (Genetics); Assistant Professors Y. Ahmed (Genetics), B. Conradt (Genetics), P. Ernst (Genetics), C. W. Pikielny (Genetics), R. M. Saito (Genetics), S. G. Tevosian (Genetics), M. L. Whitfield (Genetics).
Undergraduate students interested in a major program involving genetics should refer to the major in Genetics, Cell, and Developmental Biology offered by the Department of Biological Sciences.
The Ph.D. in Genetics is administered by the Genetics Department of Dartmouth Medical School. The courses listed below are primarily designed for graduate students. The student should decide, in consultation with his/her committee and course instructors, whether his/her background is appropriate for the content of the course.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DOCTOR’S DEGREE (PH.D.)
To qualify for award of the Ph.D. degree, a student must fulfill the following requirements:
1. Satisfactory completion of an intensive three-term course in general genetics and biochemistry, a one-term teaching assignment, and a three-term course in laboratory genetics. The latter will consist of three small research projects, conducted in rotation with different faculty members for periods of about three months each.
2. Satisfactory completion of three other graduate-level courses in genetics or related disciplines.
3. Attendance at the seminar series of the Program.
4. Participation in a departmental colloquia and the weekly Research in Progress Series
5. Satisfactory completion of an oral qualifying examination.
6. Satisfactory completion of a significant research project, and preparation of a describing this research.
7. Successful defense of the thesis in an oral examination, and presentation of the work in a lecture.
For further information, see the Graduate Study Bulletin.
101. Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology I (Identical to and described under Biochemistry 101; also identical to Biology 101, Microbiology and Immunology 101)
05F, 06F: 9
The first term of a year-long graduate-level course in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology. Topics include structure, function, and biosynthesis of proteins, nucleic acids and lipids; enzyme kinetics and enzyme mechanisms; gene regulation, transcription and translation; recombinant DNA technology; nuclear trafficking, the secretory pathway, and endocytosis.
Not open to undergraduate students. Three lectures per week. Loros and associates.
102. Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology II (Identical to and described under Biochemistry 102; also identical to Biology 102, Microbiology and Immunology 102)
06W, 07W: 9
The second term of a year-long graduate-level course in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology. A continuation of 101. Topics include introductory immunology, microbial pathogenesis, principles of genetics; model organisms, genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics.
Prerequisite: Biochemistry 101, Biology 101, Genetics 101, or Microbiology and Immunology 101 or permission of the instructor. Not open to undergraduate students. Three lectures per week. Wade, Cole, and associates.
103. Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology III (Identical to and described under Biochemistry 103; also identical to Biology 103, Microbiology and Immunology 103)
06S, 07S: 9
The final term of a year-long graduate-level course in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology. A continuation of 101 and 102. Topics include cell signaling; neurobiology; metabolism; cytoskeleton, cell shape and movement; mitosis and meiosis, regulation of cell growth and division; oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes; proteosomes and protein turnover; apoptosis.
Prerequisite: Biochemistry 101 and 102, Biology 101 and 102, Genetics 101 and 102, or Microbiology and Immunology 101 and 102 or permission of the instructor. Not open to undergraduate students. Three lectures per week. Compton and associates.
118. Advanced Topics in Genetics and Molecular Genetics (Identical to Biochemistry 118)
06S, 07S: Arrange
Each year, Genetics 118 will focus on a different topic. Emphasis is on reading and analyzing material from the primary literature.
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. The staff.
142. Genetics and Physiology of Behavior
06W, 07W: Arrange
Examination of the genetic, physiological, cellular, and molecular bases of behavior and responses to environmental factors in eukaryotic organisms. Topics to be covered from the current and classic literature will include circadian rhythmicity, learning and memory, and other areas of current research; topics emphasized will vary from year to year. Four hours of lecture and discussion per week.
Open to undergraduates (with senior standing and permission of an instructor) who should enroll under Biology 79. The staff.
144. Oncogenomics
06W, 07W: Arrange
Cancer is not one disease but hundreds of different diseases caused by hundreds of different genotypes. At the cusp of the era in which it has become possible to classify tumors molecularly and to develop targeted therapeutics, this course will explore the impact of genomics on cancer prevention, detection, classification and treatment. Working with a new textbook and the primary literature, students will present research projects on molecular profiling, model systems, and molecularly targeted drugs and imaging. The course will meet for 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Brenner.
145. Human Genetics (Identical to Microbiology and Immunology 145)
07S: ArrangeOffered in alternate years.
This course will consider the structure, organization and function of the human genome, with an emphasis on how human genetics will develop now that the genome of humans and many other organisms have been sequenced. The mouse and other model organisms will also be discussed in regard to how they may genetically differ or be similar to humans. The course will have two sessions a week (90 minute sessions). Each session will cover a specific topic and for most sessions the topic will be presented by one of the students enrolled in the course.
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Fiering.
146. Molecular and Computational Genomics
06S, 07S: Arrange
The sequencing of the complete genomes of many organisms is transforming biology into an information science. This means the modern biologist must possess both molecular and computational skills to adequately mine this data for biological insights. Taught mainly from the primary literature, topics will include genome sequencing and annotation, genome variation, gene mapping, gene expression and functional genomics, proteomics and systems biology. The course will meet for 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Moore, Whitfield.
147. Animal Development and Human Disease
06S: ArrangeOffered in alternate years.
Understanding of the molecular basis of human disease results from the exceptional power of genetic research technologies in the model organisms (worms, flies, fish and mice) and the universal nature of major genetic pathways in the animal kingdom. This course will offer integrated examination of the genetic, cellular, and molecular bases of the biology and pathology of development. The topics will be focused on the most interesting and informative human hereditary diseases for which the responsible genes have been identified. The developmental principles and pathways (e.g., Wnt signaling and colorectal cancer, sex determination and sex reversal, left-right asymmetry and human laterality disorders, DNA repair and Li-Fraumeni syndrome) and the model organisms we will use to illustrate them may vary somewhat from year to year. 1 hour of lecture and 3 hours of discussion per week.
Prerequisite: permission of an instructor. Tevosian, Ahmed, Ambros, Conradt.
169. Supervised Teaching in Genetics
All terms: Arrange
This course is required for all graduate students, based on the assertion that an essential element of graduate education is the experience gained in teaching other students. Such teaching experience is of particular relevance to students interested in academic careers. Students will conduct laboratory or discussion sessions in undergraduate courses under the supervision of the course faculty. The faculty and student teaching assistant work very closely to develop laboratory and discussion assignments. In some cases, the students are encouraged to present lectures for which they receive detailed feedback on their teaching style. In all cases students will receive instruction on effective teaching techniques through weekly preparation sessions. Topics for discussion include how to teach the material, how to run a discussion, how to evaluate student responses, and grading. Performance will be monitored throughout the term and appropriate evaluation, coupled with detailed suggestions for improvement, will be provided. This course is not open to undergraduates. The staff.
197. Graduate Research in Genetics A
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in genetics. This course is open only to graduate students, prior to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries one course credit and should be elected by students conducting research and also electing two or more other graduate or undergraduate courses. Dunlap and the staff of the Program.
198. Graduate Research in Genetics B
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in genetics. This course is open only to graduate students, prior to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries two course credits and should be elected by students electing only departmental colloquia in addition to research. Dunlap and the staff of the Program.
199. Graduate Research in Genetics C
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in genetics. This course is open only to graduate students, prior to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries three course credits and should be elected by students conducting research exclusively in any one term. Dunlap and the staff of the Program.
267. Graduate Research Colloquium: Developmental Biology
F, W, S: Arrange
All graduate students are required to enroll in Graduate Research Colloquium during each term of residence, except summer. In the Developmental Biology section, students will read and discuss original research papers that apply genetic, molecular, and/or genomic approaches to problems of metazoan development. All students will have frequent opportunities to lead discussions. The class ordinarily meets weekly. Not open to undergraduates. The staff.
297. Graduate Research in Genetics A
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in genetics. This course is open only to graduate students, subsequent to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries one course credit and should be elected by students conducting research and also electing two or more other graduate or undergraduate courses. Dunlap and the staff of the Program.
298. Graduate Research in Genetics B
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in genetics. This course is open only to graduate students, subsequent to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries two course credits and should be elected by students electing only departmental colloquia in addition to research. Dunlap and the staff of the Program.
299. Graduate Research in Genetics C
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in genetics. This course is open only to graduate students, subsequent to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries three course credits and should be elected by students conducting research exclusively in any one term. Dunlap and the staff of the Program.