‘Genomics, Health and Society’ is a module which aims to introduce the basic concepts of genetics and genomics, their application in health care for treatment and prevention of diseases, and the implications of genetic technologies and information on society. The topics you will cover as part of this module include basic genetics, genetic science, as well as concepts in epidemiology and statistics as they apply to genetics; human genetics and susceptibility to disease; epigenetics; genomics and population health; counselling and risk communication; molecular epidemiology; big data, as well as ethical, legal, social implications of genomics in health and society.

By the end of the module you should be able to:

Describe the relevant terminology in genetics (e.g. DNA, gene, allele, locus, haplotype, penetrance, dominant / recessive inheritance, heritability, pedigree)
	Describe techniques in epidemiology and statistics that apply to genetic epidemiology (e.g. Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium, linkage disequilibrium, GWAS, Mendelian randomisation)
	Describe genomic variation and its role in health and disease
	Explain the pattern of inheritance of rare and common diseases
	Explain the role of epigenetics in cancer development and control
	Assess the utility of predictive genetic testing in risk stratification for cancer prevention and screening
	Explain the application of pathogen genomics in preventing, predicting and treating infectious diseases
	Explain what is ‘big data’ and how it could be used to improve health
	Discuss different approaches for counselling and genetic risk communication
	Discuss the ethical, social, and legal considerations in using genomic information in healthcare
This is an optional advanced module open to Year 3 students on the BSc Population Health module. Those wishing to select this module must have successfully completed IEHC0028 Research Methods in Population Health or any similar introductory or intermediate research methods module. There is availability for UCL elective students from other departments. However, spaces are limited and are allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis on Portico.

Module Leads are Dr Erwin Pauws and Professor Nora Pashayan.

Selected Reading List 


	Molecular Biology of the Cell. Bruce Alberts, Alexander Johnson, Julian Lewis and Martin Raff. Garland Science, 2008 (Chapter 4. DNA and Chromosomes; Chapter 5. DNA Replication, Repair, and Recombination; Chapter 6. How Cells Read the Genome: From DNA to Protein; Chapter 7. Control of Gene Expression)
	
	
	Health Education England’s basic course in genomics https://www.genomicseducation.hee.nhs.uk/ 
	
	
	Useful primers for students without a grounding in biology and genetics.
	
	
	Stratified screening for cancer – Recommendations and analysis from the COGS project. PHG Foundation. 2014 http://www.phgfoundation.org/file/15380/ 
	
	
	Genomics and Personalized Medicine: What Everyone Needs to Know? Michael Snyder. Oxford University Press. 2016
	
	
	Medical and Health Genomics. Dhavendra Kumar, Stylianos Antonarakis. Academic Press, 2016.