PUBH6381

Our understanding of human genomic variation and its relationship to health is expanding rapidly. This knowledge is now being translated primarily through the field of “precision medicine” (finding the right drug for the right person at the right time). Public health, in contrast, seeks to abate the social and environmental factors that lead to disease and health disparities. This course will provide an introduction to the field of public health genomics at this interesting point in its history. Approximately one-half of the course is devoted to Genetic Epidemiology, or the science of detecting genetic risk factors for human disease. The other half of the course will cover public health genomics, including “precision public health”, genetic screening programs, and the possibilities and pitfalls of direct to consumer marketing of genetic tests. How genomics relates to health equity will be a recurring theme of this course. This is a graduate course designed primarily for Epidemiology MPH and PhD students, and fulfills the “Epi Of” requirement for the MPH in Epidemiology. Graduate students from other programs are very welcome.

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