For the 2020-2021 Academic Year this course is being taught remotely. This means there will be no face-to-face teaching and you will not need to be present in person in Cambridge. The course content will be delivered, and the learning outcomes met, through the use of video-based teaching platforms and a dedicated course Virtual Learning Environment. ”
To transition to remote delivery of the course our academic staff are updating the course structure and timetable. This will allow the course to be academically engaging and of the quality expected from the Institute. A course guide will be available containing this detailed information no later than the end of July. Details of the Unit start dates and assignment submission deadlines are under the Teaching & Assessment tab. For an overview of the course scroll down this page.
Lectures focus on how genetic variation is created and how genes are passed from generation to generation. As well as a broad introduction to the subject, the course aims to promote discussion about the current and future application of the human genome project, genomic data and genomic editing in the medical field.
What will I be studying?
The course is taught through three units, each having its own topic.
Unit 1: DNA, the stuff our genes are made of
This unit aims to introduce the core concepts of what genes are and how they work, enabling students to appreciate the transfer of information from DNA to living cells.
Unit 2: From genes to genomes
The second unit explores some of the areas of active whole genome research which followed on from the Human Genome Project and led to an unprecedented transformation in our understanding of human diseases and medical practices. We explain how genetic variation across the human genome can be used to study susceptibility to diseases and the role of epigenetics in gene expression and disease. We focus particularly on cancer and explain how we are currently using genome editing technologies to edit the genome of cells grown in the lab, in the hope of curing hereditary diseases in the future.
Unit 3: Genetics: past, present and future
This unit introduces the theory of evolution and the science behind the inheritance of specific characteristics, by considering how genes are passed on from generation to generation and how characteristics are influenced by genes and the environment. It discusses the potential of genetic manipulation.
What can I go on to do?
If you wish, you may develop your studies by taking the Certificate in Evolutionary Biology, which can be combined with the Certificate in Genetics to make the award of the Certificate of Higher Education in Genetics and Evolution. We also have a Certificate in Infectious Diseases and Certificate in Immunology. Alternatively, you may choose to deepen your study by taking the Diploma in Genetics or the Diploma in Evolutionary Biology.