Course Descriptions
All the following required courses must be passed in order to graduate.
HHM 500 Fundamentals of Molecular Biology Techniques ONLINE (Summer 1, session 1, 3 credits)
HHM 510 Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory ONSITE (Fall 1, 3 credits)
HHM 511 Application of Molecular Biology in Diagnosis ONLINE (Spring 1, 3 credits)
HHM 516 Application of Molecular Biology in Research ONLINE (Fall 1, 3 credits)
HHM 520 Flow Cytometry Laboratory ONSITE (Spring 1, 1 credit)
HHM 521 Flow Cytometry Methods and Applications ONLINE (Spring 1,2 credits)
HHM 531 Cytogenetics Methods and Applications ONLINE (Fall 2, 2 credits)
HHM 540 Laboratory Operations in Medical Molecular Biology ONLINE (Summer 2, ses 1, 2 cr)
HHM 545 Ethics in the Laboratory ONLINE (Summer 2, session 1, 2 credits)
HHM 551 Research Methods and Scientific Writing ONLINE (Fall 2, 3 credits)
HHM 570 Journal Club on Molecular Biology ONLINE (Fall 2, 1 credit)
HHM 581 Clinical Practicum in Molecular Diagnostics ONSITE (Spring 2, 2 credits)
HHM 583 Clinical Practicum in Flow Cytometry ONSITE (Spring 2, 2 credits)
HHM 585 Clinical Practicum in Cytogenetics ONSITE (Spring 2, 2 credits)
HHM 596 Capstone Project (culminating experience, independent project, 2 credits)
HHM 500 Fundamentals of Molecular Biology Techniques
This online course covers the main techniques used in molecular diagnostics, including direct and amplified nucleic acid-based methods. Basic principles behind each test, interpretation of results, advantages and limitations of each methods, and type of specimen required for each test are emphasized. This course also considers the importance of quality control, biosafety and proper decontamination procedures to ensure accurate data for proper patient diagnosis.
HHM 510
Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory
This is a 15-week laboratory course consisting of a 6-hour lab each week.
During the course, the students perform hands-on activities covering the main
molecular biology techniques used for the diagnosis of infectious and genetic
diseases, determination of cancer markers, and forensic testing. These
techniques include nucleic acid isolation, purification and quantification, DNA
separation, amplification and sequencing.
HHM 511
Application of Molecular Diagnostics
This course introduces students to the applications of molecular biology
techniques in diagnostics of various diseases.
The students will learn the molecular mechanisms underlying infection by
microorganisms, genetically inherited diseases as well as cancer, and how
molecular techniques can help diagnosis and prognosis of these diseases. The advantages and limitations of different
techniques available, as well as the importance of quality control will also be
addressed.
HHM 516
Application of Molecular Biology in Research
This online graduate course focuses on the various applications of molecular
biology techniques in both basic and translational medical research. High emphasis will be placed on the
understanding of the molecular pathways involved in various diseases, including
cancer, genetically inherited diseases and infection by microorganisms. The students will learn how the power of
molecular genetic analysis is used to identify, isolate and characterize genes
that cause and contribute to the etiology of human diseases.
The course will also explain how various molecular biology techniques can be
applied to diagnose diseases and to develop potential therapeutics. The advantages and limitations of different
techniques, as well as the importance of quality control will be discussed.
HHM 520
Flow Cytometry Laboratory
This onsite laboratory course consists of 30 hours of hands-on activities, and
covers the main techniques used in the flow cytometry laboratory. Students will perform numerous
immunophenotyping techniques, including stem cell quantitation, hematologic and
non-hematologic neoplasms, minimal residual disease, fetal hemoglobin, and cell
functional assays. Students will learn
how to do quality assurance and instrumentation maintenance and will gain
hands-on experience with the application software used by flow cytometers.
HHM 521
Flow Cytometry Methods and Applications
This online course introduces students to the applications of flow cytometry
techniques and their applications in the diagnosis and prognosis of human
diseases including leukemia and lymphoma, primary immunodeficiency diseases,
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), detection of paroxysmal nocturnal
hemoglobinuria, cytometry clinical transplantation, leukocyte functional
assays, cell apoptosis, CD34 positive stem cell enumeration, immunologic
dysfunction, and DNA and cell proliferation measurements in cancer cells.
HHM 531
Cytogenetics Methods and Applications
This course focuses on the impact of chromosome abnormalities on the diagnosis,
prognosis and treatment of cytogenetic syndromes. The course covers basic cytogenetic concepts
and laboratory techniques required for the detection of various diseases,
including sex chromosome abnormalities, the fragile X syndrome, and structural
and numerical chromosome abnormalities, with special emphasis on the mechanisms
underlying these syndromes.
HHM 540
Laboratory Operations
This online course covers the main principles of laboratory standards used in
molecular diagnostics, including pre- and post-analytical operations, test
result documentation, quality assurance and quality control. This course also
considers the importance of safety, regulation and standards.
HHM 545
Ethics in the Laboratory
This online course reviews professional guidelines for ethical conduct and
approaches to ethical dilemmas for laboratory scientists. The course explores
ethical issues, including responsible research conduct, good laboratory
practice, and research with human subjects. It discusses ethical principles
in genetics and genetic engineering;
advance directives, confidentiality, informed consent, patient rights, and
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). All
aspects of this class will be presented and discussed via a distance learning
format using Blackboard.
HHM 551
Research Methodology and Scientific Writing
This online graduate course will introduce students to the basic concepts of biomedical
research. High emphasis will be placed on how to critically evaluate published
scientific literature, as well as how to plan, design and conduct a research
study. The students will learn the proper use of the different statistical
methods required to analyze research data.
This course will also teach students how to communicate effectively as
scientists by writing high quality scientific papers, giving oral
presentations, and putting together a research proposal. The students will
apply these concepts to their own writing.
HHM 570
Journal Club
In this online course, students participate in critical analysis of scientific
journal articles from a diverse set of topics related to the field of molecular
biology including molecular diagnostics, molecular microbiology, cancer
research, genetically inherited diseases and genomics, among others. In each session, a student presents the
essential information of the paper including background, significance,
hypothesis, experimental methods, results and conclusions by means of a
narrated PowerPoint presentation. Following the presentation, the rest of the
class discuss and analyze the content of the paper in an online discussion
forum.
HHM 581 Clinical Practicum in Molecular
Diagnostics
This is a 2-week practicum in a clinical molecular diagnostics lab designed to
give students supervised practical training in molecular biology techniques
used in diagnostic. The students will be
provided with training while experiencing the work environment in a clinical diagnostic
laboratory
HHM 583
Clinical Practicum in Flow Cytometry
This is a 2- week practicum in a clinical flow cytometry diagnostics lab
designed to give students supervised practical application of what was learned
in the online and onsite classes. The
students will be provided with hands-on training while experiencing the work
environment in a clinical diagnostic laboratory.
HHM 585
Clinical Practicum in Cytogenetics
This is a 2-week practicum in a
cytogenetics diagnostics lab designed to give students supervised practical
application of what was learned in the online and onsite classes. The students will be provided with hands-on
training while experiencing the work environment in a clinical diagnostic
laboratory.
HHM 596
Capstone project in Medical Molecular Biology
This capstone project is the culminating experience of the Masters in Medical
Molecular Biology. It is designed to
give students the opportunity to choose a topic they are particularly
interested in within the area of molecular diagnostics, flow cytometry or
cytogenetics, and further investigate it by means of a literature-based
research (systematic literature review).
The topic could be a problem identified during the clinical practices or
something learned in the online and onsite classes. Before implementing their capstone project,
the students will need to develop a comprehensive proposal that will be
reviewed by the instructor.
