Medical Genomics
Economic Impact: Maintain Bay Area leadership in
Genomics Research and computer science
(bioinformatics).
Why Medical Genomics?
The world of medicine is changing.
Recently,
Scientific American (May, 2012) projected that within
3 years tens of millions of people will have their entire
genomes sequenced, which will enhance their lives
through preventative medicine and gene therapy.
Trained people will be in high demand to carry out this
important work.
Goal: Prepare students for the new Global Economy
of Genomics. This spans career opportunities ranging
from roles as technicians, medical personnel,
entrepreneurs, sales staff and scientists, including new
frontiers in medicine and pharmacology.
Focus: Train students in modern Genomics, including
sample preparation, DNA sequencing, instrument
operation and troubleshooting, and data analysis.
Value Proposition:
Students: Prepare students for meaningful in-demand
careers.
Academia: Optimize the value of Community
Colleges in developing layered educational
opportunities in all aspects of Genomics.
Industry: Partner with industry to develop modern
training, and new technologies and to provide a
ready-made work force for the industry.
“I think that (Personal Genomics) will be as important to human
health as clean water, antibiotics and imaging.” Jonathan Rothman,
CEO of Ion Torrent Division of Life Technologies
Ideal candidates include students who have taken
prerequisites for any allied health program offered by
the Peralta Community Colleges. However, we are
here to provide training to any student interested in
Genomics or Genetics. This is also a great opportunity
for anyone in biotech to advance their careers.
“Genomics and the rest of the new digital health infrastructure will
make it possible to understand any individual’s health more
profoundly and comprehensively than ever before. Consumers
empowered by the new technologies and unprecedented access
to their own medical information, will transfigure healthcare, with
colossal benefits and better outcomes, reduced suffering, and
saved costs.” - Eric Topol, Director, Scripps Translational Science
Institute
While in past years training for careers in Genomics
has been restricted to universities (typically to students
at the graduate level), there will be unprecedented
demand for skilled technicians at many levels in
coming years as hospitals and clinics establish
Genome Centers to sequence the DNA of their
patients. The cost of sequencing an individual human
genome is expected to soon drop precipitously to
$1,000. Remarkably, these costs are expected to
continue to rapidly drop even more while DNA
sequencing simultaneously gains accuracy, speed
and new applications, as chip-based nanotech
instruments now under development surface in the
Genomics industry.
“Whole genome sequencing illuminates every corner of a patient’s
physiology and can suggest new hypotheses if the obvious causes
for a medical condition don’t apply. It also provides a single unified
terminology for describing a patient—a lingua franca of base pairs,
if you will—that all medical specialties can use to share detailed
information.” - Scientific American, May 2012
Rapid Economic Growth in Genomics
In addition to medical care applications such as
personal genomics and genomics as “the new clinical
diagnostics”, many other commercial areas of
opportunity are opening for those with genomics
expertise. Diverse areas include all aspects of
agriculture (such as production and food safety),
clean energy (e.g. biofuels), forensics/human I.D.,
biosecurity, and toxic waste management. Emerging
technologies are growing multiple new genomicsrelated career “-omics”, such as epigenomics,
proteomics, metabolomics, nutrigenomics, pharmaco
genomics, proteomics, and toxicogenomics.
Life-science research and drug discovery and
development applications presently represent the two
largest markets for DNA sequencing revenues,
accounting for a market already over $1 billion in
2012. These markets alone are forecast to grow at a
compound annual growth rate of 13% to reach nearly
$1.7 billion in 2015. The worldwide market for
sequencing products will grow from an estimated $1.3
billion in 2010 to more than $3.3 billion by 2015. The
bioinformatics segment will increase at a compound
annual growth rate of 19.3%, rising from $1.1 billion
in 2010 to $2.6 billion in 2015. Genomics biomarkers
were valued at an estimated $5.1 billion in 2010, and
are projected to increase at a compound annual
growth rate of 26.9% to nearly $17 billion in value 2015.
(Source BCC Research LLC, Wellesley, MA).
development needs of the community.
For example, Merritt College stands apart from all
other Community Colleges in that it has several base
tissue collections, including six complete nonmammalian Vertebrate genomic libraries and 13
thousand amphibian and reptile frozen tissue samples
from around the World.
In essence, the current “golden age” of Genomics is
rapidly changing to an even more valuable “platinum
age”. Career fields with tie-ins to living organisms and
their DNA are being revolutionized.
Why study Genomics at Merritt College?
Merritt College students will have unprecedented
opportunities for access to advanced instrumentation,
for participation in hands on genomics research, and
for up-to-date technological training.
The Peralta District now has one of the best
infrastructural facilities for biotechnology training
worldwide. We have developed an exciting lab in
Genomics at the 860 Atlantic Avenue address in
Alameda, to meet the educational and career
Part of our program is the development of a
Production Center called Profile Genomics that will
not only examine these tissues de novo, but also mine
them for useful genes of value in the pharmaceutical
and other industries. These tissues should also prove
useful as the basis for National Science Foundation
(NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) research
grants.
The Merritt Genomics Program is in regular contact
with numerous successful research labs and biotech
companies worldwide and intends for our students to
be engaged with new technologies. Our program
goals are to implement educational, entrepreneurial
and career advancement opportunities.
In addition, the Profile Genomics Production Center
will offer sample preparation, sequencing, and data
analysis to generate income to make the lab selfsustaining. In addition to externships, our graduates will
work in our Production Center as paid interns,
providing on-the-job training and experience at
solving real-world problems, thus ensuring their
marketability.
Start here!
BioScience 30
Genomics Theory
Contact: Dr. J. Robert Macey:
jrobertmacey@gmail.com
www.medicalgenomics.weebly.com
Discover us!
Part of the Peralta Community College System,
biomedical and biotech courses are offered through
Merritt College, located in the beautiful Oakland Hills
of Alameda County, California, as well as at our lab
and production center on Alameda Island. Additional
courses are available at three other Peralta District
Colleges: Berkeley City College, College of Alameda,
and Laney College.
The Peralta District Colleges are accredited by the
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior
Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and
Colleges.













Tuition is only $46 per unit!
Small class sizes of 30 students or less.
Modern Laboratories
Ample, inexpensive parking on the campuses.
Merritt College is on bus route 54, which
connects to Fruitvale BART.
Free Estuary shuttle from Lake Merritt BART to
the 860 Atlantic Ave lab —every 30 minutes!
All students have access to the library, gym,
computer center, and health center.
Free tutoring for students.
Financial aid available.
Year-round courses, including many in the
evenings and on weekends.
Top-notch instruction, transferable to other
Colleges and Universities.
Transferability to a four-year bachelor’s degree
program (e.g. UC Davis) would require only the
completion of a calculus course.
Excellent choice for career transitions.
We change lives.
www.merritt.edu
Medical Genomics
www.peralta.edu
Merritt College
12500 Campus Drive
Oakland, Ca 94619
Genomics Lab / Production Center
860 Atlantic Avenue
Alameda, California 94501
Program Outcomes
o
Learn how to sequence and analyze DNA!
o Gain in-demand training on high-end
genomics instrumentation!
o
Access a booming employment field!
o
Participate in exciting developments in
biomedical research!
Join the Genomics Revolution!
www.medicalgenomics.weebly.com
Job opportunities
The two main sources of high employment and job
growth in the Bay Area are biotech companies and
the high tech industries of Silicon Valley. One thing
these industries have in common is new applications
in the ever-expanding revolution of genomics.
Specialized training is necessary to prepare samples,
operate DNA sequencing devices, and be able to use
bioinformatics tools to interpret and apply results.
These jobs require both people skills and technical
skills. You will work with both your hands and your
head. Many different jobs are possible, but typically,
your workweek will have a lot of variety: you will need
to be both a self-starter and a team player. Naturally,
a love of science, technology and a desire to help
people is a must!
excellent.
The advancement potential is
Our training will allow you to access well paid, fulfilling
employment in rapidly expanding fields.
Many
employment opportunities are local, yet there are also
increasing opportunities nationally and globally. We
have
developed
the
curriculum
for
this
groundbreaking program in conjunction with an
Advisory Board comprised of local industry and
academic leaders.
Careers include:
 Genomics core facility director.
 Genomics/sequencing core technician.
 Research technician in biotech or academic
research lab,
 Genomics
and
Bioinformatics
sales
representative.
 Genetics Counseling
 Clinical lab, genomics, histology, or pathology
technician.
 Quality control: high tech, agriculture, and
manufacturing.
 Nursing and related biomedical careers in
which genomics is rapidly growing and playing
increasingly important roles.
Merritt College
Certificate in Medical Genomics
Recommended Preparation
- prerequisites for any Peralta allied health
program
- computer literacy
- expository writing skills
- good science background
Your instructors may suggest supplementary courses
appropriate to your employment objectives.
Instructors
Our instructors are excellent teachers who also have
extensive backgrounds in biomedical research and
Ph.Ds. in Biology.
Equipment
We have an amazing array of state-of-the-art and
brand new Genomics systems.
-
Genomics theory and technology have
wide usefulness in diverse careers,
including sustainable/green energy,
agriculture, biotech, forensics,
pharmaceuticals, stem cell research and
development, genetic counseling and
many other public health areas.
-
Covaris LE220R DNA Shearer.
Tissue culture and molecular bio lab facilities.
CryoPrep cryogenic tissue extractor.
Genetix QPix2XT with stacking robotic colony picker.
Genetix QFill3 with stacking, a liquid handling
instrument that leads into colony picking.
Genetix QArray2 Slide Imprinter, accompanied by a
Tecan HSPro Hybridization station, Stratagene
Polylinker, and Molecular Devices 4 laser Axon
scanner.
and more…
Are you a researcher? Contact us about
collaboration opportunities!
Internships/Externships
We assist you with obtaining work experience in your
targeted career field.
We can guide you to
internships and externships ranging from local to
international academic, biotech and biomedical
labs.
PROGRAM OF STUDY
Medical Genomics Certificate of Achievement
The Certificate in Medical Genomics offers a unique
opportunity to study DNA, from a biomedical
perspective. SNP detection and genetic disease
detection will be emphasized, along with bacterial
and viral disease identification. Mastery of sample
preparation, operation, and analysis of DNA using the
most modern sequencers and preparatory instruments
will be emphasized.
Many of the courses are night/weekend courses.
We try our best to accommodate the needs of our
students.
Certificate Courses and Units - updated regularly
CHEM 030A Introductory General Chemistry 4
CHEM 030B Introductory Organic and Biochemistry 4
BIOL 004 Human Physiology 5
BIOSC 030 Genomics Theory 4
BIOSC 042 Mining GenBank 3
BIOSC 032 Good Laboratory Practices in Genomics 1
BIOSC 031 Practical Genomics 4
BIOSC 037 Principles of Long Polymerase Chain Reaction
(PCR) 1
BIOSC 040 DNA Shearing Techniques for Shotgun
Sequencing in Genomics 3
BIOSC 041 Microfluidic Electrophoresis 1
BIOSC 060 Personalized (Desk-top) Sequencing 3
BIOSC 033 Research Design in Genomics 1
BIOSC 050 Genetic Diseases 4
BIOSC 051 Medical Genomics 3
BIOSC 090 Internship in Genomics 3
BIOSC 061 Sequence Analysis Using MacVector 1
BIOSC 062 Methodologies in Phylogenetics Using PAUP
BIOSC 063 Intro to Character Tracing with MacClade
Total Units 45
For up to date course information, see
www.medical genomics.weebly.com
Once you’ve completed the certificate you will be
able to…
 confidently operate a wide variety of
genomics instrumentation.
 master diverse bioinformatics software
programs.
 prepare specimens for DNA sequencing.
 design experiments, critically analyze data,
and report results.
 troubleshoot problems with sample
preparation, DNA sequencing, and sequence
analysis.
 assess and utilize new biomedical genomics
technologies.
 obtain employment in biotech, biomedicine,
high tech and other growth fields.
“Predictive genomics may make medical practice in the near
future radically different from the medicine of today.”
- Terry Grossman
“For the first time ever, physicians have the tools to help their
patients employ truly preventive medicine”.
- Flower et al.,
Technological Advances and the Next 50 Years of Cardiology,
J. Amer Coll Cardiol, 35:(4):1082-1091.