Biochem 210 Multidisciplinary insight into chromosome biology, from development to disease (2023)

Module: 2
Sponsoring Program: Tetrad
Administrator: Danny Dam

STUDY LIST INFORMATION
Course Number: Biochem 210
Course Name: Multidisciplinary insight into chromosome biology, from development to disease
Units: 3
Grading Option: S/U
Course Director: Elpege Nora

MORE COURSE INFORMATION
Other faculty: Terumi Kohwi-Shigematsu 
Dates: April 24 - May12
Campus: MB
Location: GH S202
Schedule: M/W/F, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Minimum Class Size: 8
Maximum Class Size: 16

The physical organization of chromosome influences many genomic processes, including transcription, DNA repair, replication, recombination and segregation. Mutations that disrupt chromosome folding can cause diseases including congenital malformation and certain types of cancer. In this course we will review the fundamental molecular processes that organize our genome inside the cell nucleus and how they can go awry in disease. We will cover recent insight into chromosome architecture and transcription factor dynamics, and discuss how they influence (or are influenced by) nuclear processes- with an emphasis on gene regulation in development and disease.

The course will incorporate a combination of lectures and student-led discussions of papers.

Specific topics:

  • Crash course on sequencing-based methods to study nuclear organization, especially Hi-C and other Chromosome Conformation Capture derivatives
  • Chromosome folding by DNA loop extrusion
  • Physical compartmentalization of the genome
  • Insight from single-molecule live imaging of transcription factors
  • Regulation of transcription in the 4D nucleus - how do enhancers find their target genes?
  • Critical discussions about cause and consequence between transcription and genome folding
  • Nuclear matrix attachment and their role in shaping chromosomes
  • Roles of chromosome folding in DNA recombination in immune cells and during meiosis
  • DNA repair and nuclear organization
  • Novel methods to manipulate chromosome architecture