Skip to main content

187.632.01
Environmental Health: the Molecular Basis

Location
East Baltimore
Term
2nd Term
Department
Environmental Health and Engineering
Credit(s)
4
Academic Year
2014 - 2015
Instruction Method
TBD
Class Time(s)
M, W, F, 10:30 - 11:50am
Auditors Allowed
Yes, with instructor consent
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Contact Name
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Prerequisite

187.610 and a basic course in molecular biology or consent of instructor.

Description
Reviews the mechanisms of environmental diseases at the molecular and genetic levels through faculty lectures and discussion of scientific papers. Presents most recent technological advances in the molecular and genetic tools available to study environmental diseases, which includes omics technologies (proteomics, genomics and metabolomics), microarray, nextgen sequencing for genetic variations (SNPs), bioinformatics, transgenic animals and emerging alternative animal models. Topics include mechanisms and cell signaling pathways involved in oxidative, nitrosative stress and inflammation in response to exposure to air pollutants, metals and other environmental toxicants that causes non-communicable diseases such as cancer, lung and heart diseases. Addresses the impact of environmental toxicants on cell growth, cell death, DNA repair, epigenetics, inflammation and the multi-stages of carcinogenesis which cause major non-communicable diseases and impact public health.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  1. Analyze and discuss the literature regarding a wide array of topics relevant to molecular toxicology, including the molecular response to environmental stress and pathways of carcinogenesis and DNA repair
  2. Describe various gene-environment interactions that lead to either cell adaptation, cell death or disease in response to toxins in the environment
  3. Discuss the application of various state-of-the-art techniques for molecular analyses, including proteomics, genomics, bioremediation, surface plasma resonance, transgenic animals for research and polymorphism monitoring