Description: Gene therapy is a fast-growing field in biomedicine with major impact on treatment of many diseases that are not limited to genetic disorders. The proposed course covers the major concept (one hour), approaches (four hours) and clinical applications (two hours) with emphasis on approaches. The course completes with a brief summary and an essay exam (one hour).
Structure: A combination of reputable review articles and primary literature will be used as reference handout. Students are required to read the assigned handout for each class. One student will give a brief presentation to the class followed by comments of all other students. The amount of time for each student will be allocated based on the number of students. Instructor will give a summary of the class and provide important supplementary information that is not covered by the reference and class discussion to conclude the class.
Outcome: The class will expose students to the major aspects of the fast-advancing field of gene therapy, which will become one of the powerful tools in clinical practice and involves both basic research and clinical practice. Knowledge and training in gene therapy may help students gain an advantage and become a great option in their career development. In addition, gene therapy can be used as a powerful tool in research and many other applications in biomedicine, for example, combatting deadly viruses including COVID-19.
Grading: Three aspects will be taken into consideration to determine the grades: 1. quality of presentation, 35%; (2). participation of class activities, 25% and (3) essay, 40%.