Courses

4.5 credits. Fall and spring semesters
Course Director: Dr. Ronald Liem

This course will provide an in-depth analysis of several organ systems and a disease associated with each organ system. The course will have four modules; each module will describe the basic physiology, nutritional status, health and anatomy of the organ system, the genetics, cell and biochemical mechanisms and pathologies associated with the disease, as well as basic pharmacology and therapeutics to treat the disease.

Schedule

First Semester:

Module 1:
Hematopoietic System: Sickle Cell Disease
Section Director: Yvette Thanheco

Module 2:
Nervous System: Alzheimer's Disease
Section Directors: Ron Liem

Module 3:
Cardiac System: Atherosclerosis
Section Director: Alan Tall

Second Semester:

Module 1:
Neuromuscular diseases
Section Directors: Ron Liem

Module 2:
Liver, Hepatitis and Cirrhosis
Section Director: Howard Worman

Module 3:
Multisystem Disorder: Diabetes
Section Directors: Anthony Ferrante

3.0 credits. Fall semester
Course Director: Dr. Richard Baer

This graduate level course provides a broad, but intensive, overview of basic cancer research.

3.0 credits. Spring semester
Instructors: Dr. Ann-Judith Silverman and Dr. Ron Liem

Prerequisites: The course is limited to 2nd or 3rd-year graduate students who have completed the core graduate courses, including "Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology II" and "Mechanism of Human Disease". Enrollment is limited, permission from the instructor is required (Ron Liem, rkl2@columbia.edu).

Schedule: Sessions will be held on Thursdays from 10:00 AM - Noon.

Required Textbook: Junqueira and Carneiro Basic Histology (11th edition).

This course will focus on the practical aspects of using a microscope and of applying histological procedures to recognize cell types and tissue/organ organization. The aim is to assist students in acquiring basic knowledge for analyzing tissues & organs and diseases related to these tissues & organs for application in their graduate research. Each session will consist of didactic/lecture, microscope work and/or analysis of unknown samples. Student discussion and participation is necessary and assigned reading has to be done prior to class. Assignments must be read before class.