Study Programmes 2015-2016
EPID0754-1  
Introduction to genetic epidemiology
Duration :
20h Th, 20h Pr
Number of credits :
Master in public health (120 ECTS)4
Lecturer :
Kristel Van Steen
Language(s) of instruction :
French language
Organisation and examination :
Teaching in the second semester
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Course contents :
In this course an introduction is given to genetic epidemiology. The focus is a medical and disease-oriented one. Typically, the following topics are covered:
  • The different faces of genetic epidemiology (e.g., aggregation, segregation, linkage, association, functional analysis)
  • Population-based genome-wide association studies (GWAs)
  • Beyond GWAs (e.g., gene-environment interplays, meta-analysis)
Learning outcomes of the course :
At the end of the course, students have a general understanding about key concepts related to genetic epidemiology and can translate these concepts to a chosen disease context.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills :
A medical oriented background is mandatory
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
Students organize themselves in group and select a few disease contexts (based on their interests). These contexts will be taken as red thread throughout their course work. The practical course work consists of presenting a GWA and some of its complexities (e.g., population stratification, meta-analysis) from the literature and critically discussing the study using material that was presented in class or via questions that are provided in supplement. Hence, the course is in part based on interactive ex-cathedra lectures (explaining concepts and analysis tools) and interactive sessions during which the progress of the student projects is discussed.
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
Face-to-face.
Recommended or required readings :
There is no mandatory textbook. Useful references will be given as the course progresses. "Workshop papers" are meant to provide some background information that may be useful for the homework assignments. Time permitted, some of these papers are discussed in class. "Background information" offers additional resources to better understand the course or to put the course in a broader perspective. This is not exam material.
All course material is posted on the websites
http://www.montefiore.ulg.ac.be/~kvansteen/
Assessment methods and criteria :
Students are assessed via their project work during two presentation sessions and/or via a written report. At examination session 1, a selection of representative questions related to genetic epidemiology, as well as questions related to the project work, will be evaluated via oral examination. The second session will consist of an oral exam on the course notes only (unless no project work was carried out during the second semester).
Work placement(s) :
Organizational remarks :
Course language: English
The course is organized in the second semester. The detailed calendar and announcements are available on the course website.
Exams: Oral exam in June.
Contacts :
Kristel Van Steen - e-mail kristel.vansteen@ulg.ac.be
Preferred contact mode: e-mail (include "introduction to genetic epidemiology" in the subject title) or personal contact, after a lecture or by appointment