Core modules

Fundamentals in Human Genetics and Genomics

Module Leader: Dr Detina Zalli

Provides the basic genomic science knowledge required in subsequent modules, including genomic architecture, regulatory systems, generic variation, function and how this impacts upon disease processes and clinical outcomes. 

Omics Technologies and their Application to Genomic Medicine

Provides an in–depth description of the genomic techniques that are used to assess genomic variation in clinical problems, allowing you to critically evaluate which techniques can be used and their limitations in analysing different disease states.

Application of Genomics in Infectious Disease

Module Leader: Dr Luke Allsopp

Explains how pathogen genomics inform the epidemiology of infections, impact drug development and resistance, lead to novel diagnostics/therapeutics/stratified healthcare, and provide insights into host susceptibilities to infection. 

Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment

Module Leader: Professor Ros Eeles

Explains the principles of cancer genomics, including predisposition, diagnosis, classification, treatment and patient monitoring with particular emphasis on how genomic analysis impacts these factors and ethical issues. This module is delivered by the Institute of Cancer Research.

Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Diseases

Explains the different types of genetic variation, their contribution to rare and complex disease, and how they are detected (with emphasis on the 100,000 Genomes Project), interpreted and communicated.

Bioinformatics, Quality Control, Analysis and Interpretation of Genome Sequencing Data

Module Leader: Professor Michael Lovett

Provides the principles of computational DNA sequence analysis, including sequence alignment methods and statistical tests, to identify and correctly communicate pathogenic mutations and assess possible functions through database and network programs. 

Optional modules

Group 1

You choose one optional module from the list below.

Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Applied Genomics

Module Leader: Professor Geraldine Thomas

Explains the principles and subtleties of ethics in evaluating genetic/genomic data with an emphasis on emerging genomics technologies and the ways ethics issues are handled around the world. 

Genomics and the Patient

Module Leader: Dr Claire Shovlin

Concentrates on the identification and interpretation of final Next–Generation DNA sequencing reports with an emphasis on calculating genetic risk and ethical considerations (less computationally intense). 

Group 2

You choose one optional module from the list below.

Pharmacogenomics and Stratified Medicine

Module Leader: Dr Letizia Foroni

Explains how genomic approaches can be used to understand the mechanisms of differential drug responses and reactions, and to inform patient stratification. An emphasis will be placed upon the current limitations and future prospects of pharmacogenomic studies. 

Economic Evaluation in Human Genomics

Module Leader: Mr Matthew Glover

Explains the methods, assumptions, decision models, and interpretation of, cost estimate analysis, for health care interventions and health outcomes, with a particular emphasis on genomic medicine. This module is delivered by Brunel University London. 

Genome-Based Therapeutics

Module leaders: Dr Charlotte Dean and Dr Jack Hickmott

Covers key concepts in developing gene and nucleic acid-based therapies from genomic studies including efficacy and toxicity. 

Professional and Research Skills

An e-learning module. Teaches the differences between audit, research, qualitative, quantitative and systematic review methods, how to conduct literature searches, appraise published data, conduct appropriate statistical tests and understand the data management, ethical and reporting requirements in research studies, with a particular emphasis on the 100,000 Genomes Project and translational research.

Research project

You will complete a 14 week-full time or one-year part-time research project as part of the MSc. We offer four types of project:

• laboratory-based
• clinically-based
• computer-based
• literature-based

Assessment is by written dissertation and an oral presentation.

Research projects may be supervised at Imperial, or co-supervised at Imperial and the Institute of Cancer Research or Brunel University London.

Core module

Fundamentals in Human Genetics and Genomics

Module Leader: Dr Louise Blakemore

Provides the basic genomic science knowledge required in later modules, including genomic architecture, regulatory systems, generic variation, function and how this impacts upon disease processes and clinical outcomes. 

Optional modules

You choose three optional modules in total.

Group 1

You choose between one and three optional modules from the list below.

Omics Technologies and their Application to Genomic Medicine

Provides an in–depth description of the genomic techniques that are used to assess genomic variation in clinical problems, allowing you to critically evaluate which techniques can be used and their limitations in analysing different disease states.

Application of Genomics in Infectious Disease

Module Leader: Dr Luke Allsopp

Explains how pathogen genomics inform the epidemiology of infections, impact drug development and resistance, lead to novel diagnostics/therapeutics/stratified healthcare, and provide insights into host susceptibilities to infection.

Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment

Module Leader: Professor Ros Eeles

Explains the principles of cancer genomics, including predisposition, diagnosis, classification, treatment and patient monitoring with particular emphasis on how genomic analysis impacts these factors and ethical issues. This module is delivered by the Institute of Cancer Research.

Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Diseases

Explains the different types of genetic variation, their contribution to rare and complex disease, and how they are detected (with emphasis on the 100,000 Genomes Project), interpreted and communicated.

Bioinformatics, Quality Control, Analysis and Interpretation of Genome Sequencing Data

Module Leader: Professor Michael Lovett

Provides the principles of computational DNA sequence analysis, including sequence alignment methods and statistical tests, to identify and correctly communicate pathogenic mutations and assess possible functions through database and network programs. 

Group 2

You can choose up to one optional module from the list below.

Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Applied Genomics

Module Leader: Professor Geraldine Thomas

Explains the principles and subtleties of ethics in evaluating genetic/genomic data with an emphasis on emerging genomics technologies and the ways ethics issues are handled around the world. 

Genomics and the Patient

Module Leader: Dr Claire Shovlin

Concentrates on the identification and interpretation of final Next–Generation DNA sequencing reports with an emphasis on calculating genetic risk and ethical considerations (less computationally intense). 

Group 3

You can choose up to one optional module from the list below.

Pharmacogenomics and Stratified Medicine

Module Leader: Dr Letizia Foroni

Explains how genomic approaches can be used to understand the mechanisms of differential drug responses and reactions, and to inform patient stratification. An emphasis will be placed upon the current limitations and future prospects of pharmacogenomic studies. 

Economic Evaluation in Human Genomics

Module Leader: Mr Matthew Glover

Explains the methods, assumptions, decision models, and interpretation of, cost estimate analysis, for health care interventions and health outcomes, with a particular emphasis on genomic medicine. This module is delivered by Brunel University London. 

Genome-Based Therapeutics

Module leaders: Dr Charlotte Dean and Dr Jack Hickmott

Covers key concepts in developing gene and nucleic acid-based therapies from genomic studies including efficacy and toxicity. 

Professional and Research Skills

An e-learning module. Teaches the differences between audit, research, qualitative, quantitative and systematic review methods, how to conduct literature searches, appraise published data, conduct appropriate statistical tests and understand the data management, ethical and reporting requirements in research studies, with a particular emphasis on the 100,000 Genomes Project and translational research.

Core modules

Fundamentals in Human Genetics and Genomics

Module Leader: Dr Louise Blakemore

Provides the basic genomic science knowledge required in later modules, including genomic architecture, regulatory systems, generic variation, function and how this impacts upon disease processes and clinical outcomes. 

Omics Technologies and their Application to Genomic Medicine

Provides an in–depth description of the genomic techniques that are used to assess genomic variation in clinical problems, allowing you to critically evaluate which techniques can be used and their limitations in analysing different disease states.

Application of Genomics in Infectious Disease

Module Leader: Dr Luke Allsopp

Explains how pathogen genomics inform the epidemiology of infections, impact drug development and resistance, lead to novel diagnostics/therapeutics/stratified healthcare, and provide insights into host susceptibilities to infection.

Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment

Module Leader: Professor Ros Eeles

Explains the principles of cancer genomics, including predisposition, diagnosis, classification, treatment and patient monitoring with particular emphasis on how genomic analysis impacts these factors and ethical issues. This module is delivered by the Institute of Cancer Research.

Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Diseases

Explains the different types of genetic variation, their contribution to rare and complex disease, and how they are detected (with emphasis on the 100,000 Genomes Project), interpreted and communicated.

Bioinformatics, Quality Control, Analysis and Interpretation of Genome Sequencing Data

Module Leader: Professor Michael Lovett

Provides the principles of computational DNA sequence analysis, including sequence alignment methods and statistical tests, to identify and correctly communicate pathogenic mutations and assess possible functions through database and network programs. 

Optional modules

Group 1

You choose one optional module from the list below.

Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Applied Genomics

Module Leader: Professor Geraldine Thomas

Explains the principles and subtleties of ethics in evaluating genetic/genomic data with an emphasis on emerging genomics technologies and the ways ethics issues are handled around the world. 

Genomics and the Patient

Module Leader: Dr Claire Shovlin

Concentrates on the identification and interpretation of final Next–Generation DNA sequencing reports with an emphasis on calculating genetic risk and ethical considerations (less computationally intense). 

Group 2

You choose one optional module from below.

Pharmacogenomics and Stratified Medicine

Module Leader: Dr Letizia Foroni

Explains how genomic approaches can be used to understand the mechanisms of differential drug responses and reactions, and to inform patient stratification. An emphasis will be placed upon the current limitations and future prospects of pharmacogenomic studies. 

Economic Evaluation in Human Genomics

Module Leader: Mr Matthew Glover

Explains the methods, assumptions, decision models, and interpretation of, cost estimate analysis, for health care interventions and health outcomes, with a particular emphasis on genomic medicine. This module is delivered by Brunel University London.

Genome-Based Therapeutics

Module leaders: Dr Charlotte Dean and Dr Jack Hickmott

Covers key concepts in developing gene and nucleic acid-based therapies from genomic studies including efficacy and toxicity. 

Professional and Research Skills

An e-learning module. Teaches the differences between audit, research, qualitative, quantitative and systematic review methods, how to conduct literature searches, appraise published data, conduct appropriate statistical tests and understand the data management, ethical and reporting requirements in research studies, with a particular emphasis on the 100,000 Genomes Project and translational research.