Anthropology_Human Genetics

The course on “Human Genetics” is a Discipline Specific Elective Course in Anthropology at undergraduate (UG) level under the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS). This is an introductory course designed primarily for students in the undergraduate or master’s programs interested in biomedical research, genetic counselling, medicine, and clinical genetics. This course is expected introduce the rapid advancements in our understanding the role of human genome in health and disease. The course is specially designed to supplement and enhance the understanding of students about different dimensions of human genetics starting from genes to proteins and mutations in genes to the genes in the evolution of humans. Furthermore, the course is focussed on history of human genetics, evolutionary genetics; Molecular evolution; DNA sequence variation and human origins. We would introduce key concepts of inheritance of human traits, pedigree analysis, and chromosome organization. Molecular biology tools used for understanding the genome, gene structure and gene mutations, gene mapping and gene cloning strategies will also be covered in this course. Objectives and outcome of human genome project, 1000 Genomes project and the HapMap project will also be discussed. The objectives of this course is to give the target audience/students an understanding of: Structure, Function and Inheritance of the human genome, the DNA structure and its replication, Recombination and DNA repair Mechanisms and Expression of genetic Information. The relationship between genes and protein, Transcription and RNA processing, Decoding the codons: the role of transfer RNAs, Genomic Variation, Genotype-phenotype correlations, Pedigree analysis and Expressivity, Chromosomal Basis of Genetic Disorders and Genetic mapping. The course will also focus on Concept of non-mendelian inheritance and complex diseases, Genomic Diversity & Human Evolution

Week-1

History of Human Genetics

Introduction to Hereditary and Inheritance

Human Genome

Structure of DNA

Week-2

Replication of DNA

DNA repair and recombination

Gene expression

Coding and Non-coding regions of DNA

Week-3

Basics of expression of Genetic information

Transcription

Translation

Post translational modifications

Week-4

Relationship between genes and protein

RNA processing

Genetic Code

Decoding the codons: encoding genetic information

Week-5

Transfer RNAs (tRNA) and its role

Introduction to Genomic Variation

Origins of Genetic Diversity

Genomic Polymorphisms

Week-6

SNPs, VNTR, CNVs, and Human Genetics

Haplotypes and haplogroups

Genotype-phenotype correlations

Introduction to Epigenetics

Week-7

Common mechanisms of Epigenetics

Epigenetics and diseases

Non-coding RNAs, micro-RNAs(miRNAs) & long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs)

Introduction to Genetic Study in Humans

Week-8

Pedigree Analysis and Expressivity

Chromosomal Basis of Genetic Disorders

Karyotypes and identification of chromosome variation

Nucleic Acid Hybridization Assays

Week-9

Cytogenetic mapping

Genetic mapping (Microsatellite and other DNA polymorphisms)

LOD score

Sequencing strategies (PCR based Sanger sequencing to Exome sequencing)

Week-10

Concept of non-mendelian inheritance and complex diseases

Introduction to Genomic Diversity & Human Evolution

Human Evolution: An Overview

Evidence from mtDNA

Week-11

Evidences from Y-chromosome

Evolutionary genetics

DNA sequence variation and human origins

Biological and cultural evolution of humans

Week-12

Genetic Counselling

Assignment’s compilation

Examination