University of the District of Columbia and
the National Human Genome Research Institute Genomics Course

         Faculty for the 2011 UDC-NHGRI Genomics Course

In the spring of 2011, the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) partnered to develop the first UDC genomics-focused course. The course is designed to foster an understanding of the various genome sequencing projects and their implications for health, research and society. It is intended to prepare students for the advanced knowledge of genomics, its interdisciplinary nature and its role in personalized medicine. Subject matter for each individual lecture is conceptualized, developed and presented by UDC and NHGRI staff.

In addition to introducing the UDC students to the wide breadth of genomic topics, the course is an opportunity for NHGRI staff to gain experience in creating and teaching collegiate courses.

The course introduces basic concepts in genomics and familiarizes students with web-based genomic tools to help them understand biological principles at the genome level. The course also presents high-throughput, genomic methods and the ethical, legal, and social issues related to genomic technologies, as well as policies and the future of genomic medicine. Through course assignments, students analyze the relationships between genomic science and genomic headlines.

"I am honored to have had the unique opportunity to teach in the genomics course at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). This course will provide NHGRI postdoctoral fellows excellent opportunities to make autonomous contributions to a recently developed, dynamic course curriculum. I firmly believe that participation in this course will definitely benefit participating postdocs in their future career endeavors. The students enrolled in the genomics course at UDC were bright, eager and expressed a genuine enthusiasm for learning more about genomic science. I hope that I was able to enhance the educational development of these students and help maintain that spark of interest that led these students to enroll in this course initially. I sincerely hope that opportunities for NHGRI postdoctoral fellows to teach in this course will be encouraged and supported in the future."

Dr. Cheryl Cropp, Post-Doctoral Fellow, NHGRI

Chartered in 1974, UDC is the only fully-accredited public institution of higher education in the nation's capital. As an urban land-grant university, it supports a broad mission of education, research and community service and offers bachelors and masters degrees in the College of Arts and Science; School of Business and Public Administration; School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; and College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Studies.

For more information, about the University of the District of Columbia, visit the university website at: www.udc.edu

For information on the course, please contact:

Faith Harrow Plante, Ph.D.
Training Program Coordinator
NHGRI Intramural Training Office
National Institutes of Health
Building 12A, Room 1013
123 South Drive, MSC 5613
Bethesda MD 20892-5613
Phone: (301) 451-3645
E-mail: harrowf@mail.nih.gov

Carla L. Easter, Ph.D.
Deputy Chief, Education and Community Involvement Branch
National Human Genome Research Institute
31 Center Drive
Bldg 31, Rm B1B55
MSC 2070
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: (301) 594-1364
E-mail: easterc@mail.nih.gov

Deepak Kumar, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair
Department of Biology
University of the District of Columbia
Building 44/Rm 103; 4200 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington DC, 20008
Phone: (202) 274-5937
Fax: (202) 274-5776
E-mail: dkumar@udc.edu

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Last Updated: July 20, 2012