Four years ago, scientists described a “rough draft” of the human genome. Since that time, most of the remaining part of the genome sequence has been completed. Recently, a large-scale project to characterize individual variation in the human genome has completed its first phase. These developments have propelled research into various aspects of human genetics, some of which will be described in this course. Population genetics focuses on the global distribution of genetic variation. Latest insights into gene geography and its relationship to concepts such as race and ethnicity will be discussed.
Genetic variants have been described that predispose individuals to a variety of common diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, asthma, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Human genetic variation in the immune system also underlies differential response to pathogens and infectious diseases generally. Genetic variation contributes to individual differences in response to drug treatments and to side effects from those treatments, a discipline referred to as pharmacogenetics. Progress in all these areas also will be described by some of the world’s experts in human genetics who are faculty members at UCSF.
Course Chairs: Neil J. Risch, PhD, Lamond Family Foundation Distinguished Professor of Human Genetics; director, UCSF Center for Human Genetics.
February 21
Genetic Structure in the Human Population
Neil J. Risch, PhD, Lamond Family Foundation Distinguished Professor of Human Genetics; director, UCSF Center for Human Genetics
February 28
Genetics of Race and Ethnicity: Lessons from Studies of Asthma
Esteban Burchard, MD, assistant professor of biopharmaceutical sciences and medicine
March 7
Human Genetics and the Brain
Louis Ptacek, MD, Howard Hughes Investigator, John C. Coleman Distinguished Professorship in Neurodegenerative Diseases
March 14
Genetics of Cancer
John Witte, PhD, professor, of epidemiology and biostatistics and urology
March 21
Genetics of Heart Disease
Deepak Srivastava, MD, director, Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Wilma and Adeline Pirag Distinguished Professor of Pediatric Developmental Cardiology
March 28
How Drugs May Be Tailored to Your Genetic Makeup
Kathy Giacomini, PhD, professor of biopharmaceutical sciences, cellular and molecular pharmacology, and pharmaceutical chemistry; chair, Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, UCSF School of Pharmacy
