The recent explosion of data generated by the fields of genetics and molecular biology has created a demand for sophisticated computational methods to extract meaningful information. Bioinformatics has emerged as an important new discipline in the biosciences, promoting a close working relationship between genetics and the computational sciences. To meet the needs of students interested in this area of research, we have developed a formal subtrack within the Genetics Ph.D. program that would lead to a Ph.D. in Genetics with a specialization in Computational Genetics.

All Genetics students are required to participate in three laboratory rotations during their first year. It is strongly recommended that Computational Subtrack students acquire some experience in a wet lab. This may have occurred during an undergraduate or masters experience. If a Computational Subtrack student does not have wet lab experience when they affiliate with a laboratory, they should work with their mentor to gain the experience.

Course Requirements

Prerequisites

CourseSemester Hours
Biochemistry (BIOC:3110 or BIOC 3120 and BIOC:3130 or equivalent)3-8 s.h.
Organic Chemistry (2 semesters)6-8 s.h.
Fundamental Genetics3-4 s.h.
Introductory Physics, one year, college level6-8 s.h.
Calculus or Statistics, one year of either6-8 s.h.

Note: These prerequisites would be typical for a student entering with a Biology background. Students entering with a Computational background may need to make up missing courses; the trade-off is that these students will typically require fewer computer language courses, for example.

Genetics Core (12 sh)

Course NumberCourseSemester Hours
BMED:5207Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology3 s.h.
GENE:6150Genetic Analysis of Biological Systems3 s.h.
STAT:3510Biostatistics or3 s.h.
BIOS:4120Introduction to Biostatistics3 s.h.
   
GENE:7191Human Molecular Genetics or3 sh
BIOL:5172Evolution or4 sh
BIOL:3713Molecular Genetics or3 sh
BIOL:4333Genes and Development3 sh
   
GENE:6200Current Topics in Genetics - take each Spring1sh
GENE:6210Seminars in Genetics - take every semester1sh

Computing (6 sh)

Course NumberCourseSemester Hours
BIOS:5510Biostatistical Computing or2 sh
CS:3210Programming Languages and Tools or
(may be taken multiple times)
3 s.h.
CS:5110Introduction to Informatics3 sh

Bioinformatics Electives (12 sh)

Choose 12 sh from computational based electives.

Course numbercourseSemester Hours
BIOS:4510Data Science Foundations in R2 sh
BIOS:5120Regression and ANOVA for the Health Sciences3 sh
BIOS:7330Advanced Biostatistical Computing3 sh
BIOS: 7700Special Topics: Machine Learning for Biomedical Data3 sh
BMB:4310Computational Biochemistry3 sh
BME:5335Computational Bioinformatics3 sh
CS:5430Machine Learning3 sh
IGPI:5450Machine Learning3 sh
IGPI:6480Knowledge Discovery3 sh
MICR:6282Grad Applied Computational Biology2 sh
STAT:3200Applied Linear Regression3 sh
STAT:4580Data Visualization and Data Technologies3 sh

Scholarly Integrity