Molecular and Cellular Basis of Disease
Course Director: Whasun “Sun” Oh Chung
Credits: 4
Quarters/Yr of Program: Autumn / 1
Course Overview
This course covers a broad range of topics in molecular and cellular biology, including cell basics, enzymes, protein/carbohydrate/lipid metabolism, and cancer. Students will learn how various diseases are caused and regulated at molecular and cellular levels. Successful completion of this course will help students assess what cellular changes are responsible for diseases and how to intervene in diseases that are of importance in dentistry.
Learning Objectives
The student who successfully completes this course will be able to:
1. Describe the central dogma of molecular biology and the informational roles DNA, RNA, and protein play in disease development.
2. Illustrate carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism, and how each metabolic regulation leads to certain physiological outcomes.
3. Explain the functions of DNA methylation, covalent histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs in producing epigenetic effects and outcomes of specific epigenetic changes on gene expression.
4. Differentiate how defects in DNA repair pathways lead to specific syndromes and how these defects could be remedied.
5. Assess aspects of cancer pathophysiology and how each leads to a projected outcome.
6. Analyze the cell injury, inflammation, and repair processes and how each contributes to homeostasis in health and disease.
UWSOD Competencies: C-03, C-08, C-11, C-12, C-13, C-14, C-15, C-23, C-24, C-25, C-26, C-30, C-31, CE-02, CE-03, CE-06
Date last updated: 2023-09-07