Over the last decade, we have witnessed a huge progress in Biomedical Sciences, best represented by the Whole Genome Sequencing project. In the UK, we had the world-leading project of sequencing the Genomes of 100,000 individuals. This course looks at the field of Genomics from the eyes of Society. In informal workshop sessions, we will discuss some Genomics associated areas. We will first introduce Genes and Genomics before exploring their potential applications. Then we will spend some time addressing the Ethics of Genomics and other surrounding issues. Finally, we will discuss and speculate efforts for future projects initiatives Beyond Genomics. We will argue how the Society should be more involved in contributing to these efforts.
Genomics Applications in Healthcare: An Introduction
This is an In-person course which requires your attendance to the weekly meetings which take place in Oxford.
Overview
Programme details
Courses starts: 23 Apr 2025
Week 1: Introducing the course contents.
Week 2: The human cell
Week 3: Gene structure and functions
Week 4: Genes role in disease development
Week 5: Introduction to genome sequencing technology
Week 6: Genomics data processing and bioinformatics
Week 7: Genomics applications in disease diagnosis
Week 8: Genomics applications in discovering novel therapies
Week 9: Limitations of Genomics clinical applications
Week 10: Ethics of Genomics applications
Recommended reading
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Continuing Education Library for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are welcome to use the Library for reference. More information can be found on the Library website.
There is a Guide for Weekly Class students which will give you further information.
Certification
To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend at least 80% of the classes on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course Fee | £285.00 |
| Take this course for CATS points | £30.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Tutor
Dr Amr Abdelgany
Amr is an Associate Senior Tutor at the department who has worked on gene therapy since his DPhil at Oxford. He then continued his research at Oxford exploring novel genetic methods for discovery of new therapies. Amr has taught for the department since 2012.
Course aims
Course aim: Understanding the potential applications of genomics in healthcare.
Course objectives:
- Understanding genes and their involvement in diseases
- Getting an overview of the different Genomics technologies
- Discussing the ethics behind genomics applications in healthcare.
Teaching methods
Teaching method:
- Each session includes a presentation followed by discussions.
- Workshops on some for the sessions will be also included
- Students may be given time to present some of their vies about the course (optional)
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course students will be expected to understand:
- Human genes and their roles in diseases;
- Genomics applications in healthcare;
- Challenges surrounding genomics applications in healthcare.
Assessment methods
An assignment will be an essay related to the course topic with a 1000-word limit. The assignment details will be given during the early weeks of the course and students will receive appropriate support.
Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work the required standard.
Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form
Application
To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.
Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment Form (Word) or Enrolment Form (Pdf)
Level and demands
The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.
Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)
To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.
Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.