Design and implementation of an introductory course for computer applications in molecular genetics. A case study

Area of Science:

• Computational Biology
• Genetics Education

Background:

• Formal computational biology training began at Wayne State University in 1990 for faculty.
• The course expanded to include graduate students in 1995, providing foundational computational biology skills.
• It is now an integral part of the graduate program at the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present experiences in delivering a multidisciplinary, campus-wide computational biology course.
• To address the needs of a diverse student body with varying computational biology backgrounds.
• To detail the evolution and delivery of a foundational computational biology curriculum.

Main Methods:

• Review of course delivery experiences over a decade.
• Adaptation of training to evolving computational resources.
• Expansion from faculty-specific to campus-wide, unlimited enrollment.

Main Results:

• The course has equipped students with essential skills for careers in molecular genetics.
• Successful adaptation to a diverse and broad student enrollment.
• Established a comprehensive computational biology curriculum integrated into graduate studies.

Conclusions:

• Multidisciplinary computational biology training is crucial for modern molecular genetics careers.
• The program has successfully evolved to meet diverse student needs.
• The experiences offer a model for delivering computational biology education.