Genetic Epidemiology

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.
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The majority of chronic diseases share a common risk factor: the family history for that disease. Epidemiologists can use families to assess the role of the interrelated genetic and environmental risk factors. This subject provides an introduction to epidemiological methods that are used to help identify genes associated with disease, and to estimate what proportion of the disease can be attributed to measured or unmeasured genetic factors. Concepts, methodologies, and interpretation of familial risk factors for chronic diseases are the major topics in this subject. Topics covered include introduction to population genetics, introduction to molecular genetics, design of family studies including both twin and pedigree studies, segregation analysis, linkage, association studies, estimating the magnitude of the gene effect on disease susceptibility, and genetic screening.

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• calculate measures of familial aggregation
• explain that susceptibility to complex diseases is due to both genetic and environmental factors;
• describe how genes can be altered in various ways with varying effects on molecular function;
• recall the fundamentals and limitations of studies designed to identify genes that influence disease susceptibility;
• appraise the significance of disease susceptibility genes in the risk of disease; critically appraise a genetic epidemiology study;
• evaluate a variety of techniques to find genes for disease that use epidemiological studies.

One written assignment of 2,000 words (40%) due mid-semester and one written assignment of 2,500 words (60%) due end semester.

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This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Genetic Epidemiology will allow students to develop skills in:

• Critical thinking and analysis
• Problem-solving
• Finding, evaluating and using relevant information
• Written communication
• Decision-making
• Persuasion and argumentation
• Using computers and statistical software