Genome 351
Spring 2013
GENOME 351 – HUMAN GENETICS
Course Web Site: http://courses.washington.edu/gen351/index.htm
Instructors: Leo Pallanck and Evan Eichler
Teaching Assistants: Adam Gordon and Blake Hovde
Lectures: MF 10:30-11:50 AM Foege S060
Discussion Section (AA): Wednesday 10:30 – 11:20 AM Foege S110
Discussion Section (AB): Wednesday 1:30 – 2:20 PM Foege S110
Suggested Textbook: The Human Genome: A User’s Guide, JE Richards and RS Hawley, Third
edition, Academic Press. Copies of this text have been placed on reserve in the Health Sciences and
Undergraduate Libraries.
Office Hours:
Leo Pallanck (Pallanck@uw.edu) – Foege S443E, Friday 1:00-2:00 PM (April)*
Evan Eichler (eee@gs.washington.edu) – Foege S413C, Friday 2:30-3:30 PM (May)*
Adam Gordon (agordon1@uw.edu) – Foege S110, Thursday 4:00-5:00 PM
Blake Hovde (hovdebt@uw.edu) – Foege S110, Wednesday 2:30-3:30 PM
*By appointment only
Grading:
Your grade will be based on a total of 350 points earned from:
 Six problem sets (60 total points)
 2-3 discussion section debates (40 total points),
 Mid-term exam (125 points) - Friday 5/3 10:30-11:50 PM Foege S060
 Final examination (125 points) - Monday 6/10 8:30-10:20 AM; location will be determined later
To pass the course you must receive a minimum of 175 points. Final grades will be assigned on a
curve with the mean point total equivalent to a 2.8. There will be no make-up exams.
Problem Sets: Problem sets will be handed out in class on Fridays and due the following Friday, with
one exception: the problem set handed out on April 26th will be due on Monday, May 6th owing to the
midterm exam on May 3rd.
Debates:
Two-three discussion periods will be devoted to debates of ethical issues in human genetics in the
second half. Each of you will be expected to prepare and participate in a debate. Your own debate will
be worth 25 points. You will also evaluate the debates of others for another 15 points. More
information on these debates will be provided to you later in the course.
Topical Outline:
First Half (4/1-5/3): Basic Genetics and Molecular Biology
A). Mendel’s Laws and Segregation
D). Cell Cycle, Mitosis and Meiosis
B). DNA Replication
E). Recombination and Aneuploidy
C). Transcription, Splicing and Translation
F). Mutations
Second Half (5/6-6/7): Human Genetics and Disease
A). Human Genome
B). Human Molecular Evolution
C). Population Genetics
D). Mapping Genetic Traits
E). Disease Mechanisms
F). Cancer Genetics
G). Stem Cells and Gene Therapy
Honesty: We expect that each student will do his or her own work on exams and assignments. To
Genome 351
Spring 2013
deter the alteration of exams after they are graded, we may keep Xeroxed copies of graded exams. If
we observe any behavior that does not meet our standards of honesty, we will report the breach of
conduct to the University Disciplinary Board. If they find that an infraction has been committed, the
exam or assignment in question will be given a zero.