Genetics

This course explains the students the basic concepts of genetics. It provides students with an historical overview of the main discoveries that led to the understanding of how traits are inherited from single individuals or within a population is provided. The lessons will explore different aspects of bacterial, phage and human genetics and explain how geneticists analyze genes. The theoretical lessons will provide information on laws models, while the exercises will be aimed at their application. The genetics course is required for a better understanding and the study of complex biological processes and is in line with the educational objectives of the CdS.

At the end of the course the students will be able to understand fundamental models of hereditary transmission and the molecular mechanisms underlying the variations in the genetic material of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. They will understand the interactions between genotype and phenotype. Basic knowledge will be obtained on molecular genetics, genetics of microorganisms and humans. Furthermore, they will be trained in gene regulation and population genetics. All this knowledge will enable them to follow advanced genetics courses, and the fundamentals of genetic engineering.
At the end of the course the students will be able to autonomously analyze the segregation of Mendelian characters in the progeny of crosses, and to make probabilistic assessments concerning the transmission of characters. They will also be familiar with mapping genes on chromosomes and study their interactions. They will be able to predict the effects of mutations in genomes and genes and the cause of chromosome number changes in organisms.