Core Course offerings - Computational Track

First Summer Semester

M21-503: Statistical Computing with SAS®
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Masters: Jingqin Luo, Derek Morgan, and colleagues
Credit Hours: 2 units
Frequency: Every summer (July 8 - 16 in 2010, Weekdays, Tues.-Tues. 8:30 a.m.-noon & 1:30-4:30 p.m., Shriners 3311)
Description:  Intensive hands-on summer training in SAS® during six days. Students will learn how to use the SAS® System for handling, managing, and analyzing data. Instruction is provided in the use of the SAS® programming language, procedures, macros, and SAS® SQL. The course will include exercises using existing programs written by SAS® experts. Instruction manual and computer lab will be provided. This course meets the prerequisite for M21-505 Biostatistics for Research Workers. Registration/grade option of “Audit” is not available. The registration/grade option of "Audit" is not available.  

Participants are strongly encouraged to participate in the "Computing/Unix" workshop offered free of charge prior to this course (July 6). Contact the GEMS Program Manager for details and for the required permission of the Course Master (pa@wubios.wustl.edu or telephone 362-1052).

M21-505: Biostatistics for Research Workers
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Masters: Kenneth Schechtman and Chengjie Xiong
Credit Hours: 2 units
Frequency: Every summer (MTWThF 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. , July 19 - 30, in 2010, Shriners 3307)
Description: Intensive two-week summer course designed for those researchers who want to expand their knowledge of practical methods in statistics. Oriented toward statistical and epidemiological concepts, applications, practical hints and hands-on approach to data, rather than theory or derivation of formulas. Heavy use is made of SAS® for in-class examples and homework problems. We will cover classical methods (e.g., t-test, chi-square, correlation), multivariate methods (regression, logistic models, ANOVA, survival analysis), study design, probability, and maximum likelihood. Some selected topics are then covered in greater detail. Prerequisite: M21-503 Statistical Computing with SAS® or student must have practical experience with SAS® . Crosslisted as: M08-505A and L41-5066.

Participants are strongly encouraged to participate in the "Computing/Unix" and "Statistics" workshops offered free of charge prior to this course (June 30 - July 6) and to take the companion SAS® course M21-503 . For details, to register and to obtain the required the required permission of the Course Master contact the Program Manager (pa@wubios.wustl.edu or telephone 362-1052).

M21-505A: Biostatistics for Research Workers - Computer Lab
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Masters: Kenneth B. Schechtman and Chengjie Xiong
Credit Hours: 1 unit
Frequency: Every summer (MTWThF 1:30 - 4:30 p.m., July 19 - 30, 2010, Shriners 3311)
Description: Intensive computer laboratory work in SAS® designed for significant hands-on practice of concepts and methods discussed as part of M21-505. Available only with concurrent registration in M21-505. Required of all Computational Track M.S. students. Clinical Track M.S. students are strongly encouraged to take this lab as an elective for credit toward the degree. The registration/grade option of “Audit” is not available

Participants are strongly encouraged to participate in the "Computing/Unix" and "Statistics" workshops offered free of charge prior to this course (June 30 - July 6) and to take the companion SAS® course M21-503 . For details, to register and to obtain the required the required permission of the Course Master contact the GEMS Program Manager (pa@wubios.wustl.edu or telephone 362-1052).

M21-515: Fundamentals of Genetic Epidemiology
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Masters: Treva Rice and Yun Ju Sung
Credit Hours: 2 units
Frequency: Every summer (MTWThF 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., August 2 - 13 in Summer 2010, Shriners 3307)
Description: Intensive two-week summer course. Course covers causes of phenotypic variation, familial resemblance and heritability (correlation, path analysis and variance components models), Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium, major genes, ascertainment, study designs and basic concepts in linkage and association analysis.  Lab practice with various genetics programs (SEGPATH, PAP, SOLAR, MERLIN, QTDT) requires enrollment in M21-515A.

Participants are strongly encouraged to participate in the "Computing/Unix" and "Statistics" workshops offered free of charge prior to this course (June 30 - July 6). For details,to register and to obtain the required the required permission of the Course Master contact the GEMS Program Manager pa@wubios.wustl.edu or telephone 362-1052) .

M21-515A: Fundamentals of Genetic Epidemiology - Computer Lab
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Masters: Treva Rice and Yun Ju Sung
Credit Hours: 1 unit
Frequency: Every summer (MTWThF 1:30 - 4:30 p.m., August 2 - 13 in 2010, Shriners 3311)
Description: Intensive two-week summer computer laboratory designed as hands-on practice of fundamental concepts. This Computer Lab is an optional elective for those registered in the Clinical Track of the M.S. program.  Students will gain practical experience with various genetics computer programs such as SEGPATH, PAP, SOLAR, MERLIN, and QTDT. Available only with concurrent registration in M21-515. Required of all Computational Track M.S. candidates. Clinical Track M.S. students are strongly encouraged to take this lab as an elective for credit toward the degree. The registration/grade option of “Audit” is not available.

M21- 550: Introduction to Bioinformatics
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Masters: C. Charles Gu, Gary Stormo, and colleagues
Credit Hours: 2 units
Frequency: Every summer (MTWThF 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m., August 16 - 27, 2010, Shriners 3307).
Description: Intensive two-week summer course designed to provide a broad exposure to the basic concepts, methodology and application of bioinformatics to solve biomedical problems. Specifically, the students will learn the basics of online genomic databases and database mining tools, and acquire understanding of mathematical algorithms in genome sequence analysis (alignment analysis, gene finding/predicting), gene expression microarray (genechip) analysis, and of the impact of recent developments such as protein microarrays or whole-genome DNA chips for genome-wide association studies. Prerequisite: M21-505 Biostatistics for Research Workers.

Participants are strongly encouraged to participate in the "Computing/Unix" and "Statistics" workshops offered free of charge prior to this course (July 1 - 7, 2010) and to take the companion SAS® course M21-503 . For details, to register and to obtain the
required permission of the Course Master contact the GEMS Program Manager (pa@wubios.wustl.edu or telephone 362-1052).

M21- 550A: Introduction to Bioinformatics - Computer Lab
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Masters: C. Charles Gu, Gary Stormo, and colleagues
Credit Hours: 1 unit
Frequency: Every summer (MTWThF 1:30 - 4:30 p.m., August 16 - 17, 2010, Shriners 3311)
Description: Intensive two-week summer computer laboratory work designed for significant hands-on practice of bioinformatics concepts. Students will learn and practice basics of the R/Bioconductor for statistical analysis and graphics, and apply specialized R packages to solve statistical and bioinformatics problems discussed in lectures of M21-550. They will also learn basics of bioinformatics tools and databases (BLAST/WUBLAST, Prospector, etc.) and practice applying the new knowledge in real medical research of human diseases. Available only with concurrent registration in M21-550. Required of all Computational Track M.S. candidates. Clinical Track M.S. students are strongly encouraged to take this lab as an elective for credit toward the degree. The registration/grade option of “Audit” is not available. Required of all Computational Track M.S. candidates. Clinical Track M.S. students may take this lab as an elective for credit toward the degree.  

Participants are strongly encouraged to participate in the "Computing/Unix" and "Statistics" workshops offered free of charge prior to this course (July 1 - 7, 2010) and to take the companion SAS® course M21-503 . For details, to register and to obtain the required permission of the Course Maste,r contact the GEMS Program Administrator (pa@wubios.wustl.edu or telephone 362-1052).

M21-616: Epidemiology, Clinical Trials, Study Design & Management
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Masters: J. Philip Miller and colleagues
Credit Hours: 3 units
Frequency: Every Fall (MW 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in Fall 2009, starts Aug. 26 in Barnard 3344)
Description: Learn critical study design issues, optimal study designs, cost-benefit analysis, power analysis, study management issues (protocols, data entry, data flow, database management, QC), special considerations for multicenter studies, human studies, principles and issues in designing linkage and association studies, and ethical, legal, and social issues concerning human studies. Prerequisite: M21-505 Biostatistics for Research Workers and M21-515 Fundamentals of Genetic Epidemiology.

For details, to register and to receive the required permission of the Course Master contact the GEMS Program Administrator
(pa@wubios.wustl.edu or telephone 362-1052).

M21- 5483: Human Linkage and Association Analysis
Department: Department of Genetics
Course Masters: John Rice and colleagues
Credit Hours: 2 units
Frequency: Every Fall (TTh 9:30 -11:00 a.m. in Fall 2009; starts Aug. 27, GEMS Suite in Shriners 3307)
Description: Basic Genetic concepts: meiosis, inheritance, Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium, Linkage, segregation analysis; Linkage analysis: definition, crossing over, map functions, phase, LOD scores, penetrance, phenocopies, liability classes, multi-point analysis, non-parametric analysis (sibpairs and pedigrees), quantitative trait analysis, determination of power for mendelian and complex trait analysis; Linkage Disequilibrium analyses: allelic association (case control designs and family bases studies), whole genome association analysis; Quantitative Trait Analysis: measured genotypes and variance components. Prerequisite: M21-515 Fundamentals of Genetic Epidemiology. Cross-listed as L41-5483.

For details, to register and to receive the required permission of the Course Master contact the GEMS Program Manager (pa@wubios.wustl.edu or telephone 362-1052).

For details, to register and to receive the required permission of the Course Master contact the GEMS Program Administrator (pa@wubios.wustl.edu or telephone 362-1052).

Spring Semester

M21- 621: Computational Statistical Genetics
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Masters: Michael Province, Aldi Kraja, and colleagues
Credit Hours: 3 units
Frequency: Every Spring (TuTh 9:00 - 10:30 in 2010 in Shriners 3307)
Description: This course is designed to give the students computational experience with the latest statistical genetics methods and concepts, so that they will be able to computationally implement the method(s)/model(s) developed as part of their thesis. Concentrating on the applications of genomics and SAS computing, it deals with creating efficient new bioinfomatic tools to interface with some of the latest, most important genetic epidemiological analysis software, as well as how to derive, design and implement new statistical genetics models. The course also includes didactic instruction on haplotype estimation and modeling of relationship to phenotype, LD mapping, DNA pooling analysis methods, analysis approaches in pharmacogenomics (with an emphasis on possible genomic role in drug response heterogeneity), and epistasis (GxG) and GxE interactions; data mining methods, including clustering, recursive partitioning, boosting, and random forests; and fundamentals of meta-analysis, importance sampling, permutation tests and empircal p-values, as well as the design of monte-carlo simulation experiments. Prerequisite: M21-505 Biostatistics for Research Workers. Permission of the Course Master required.

M21-610: Independent Research
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Master: D.C. Rao
Credit Hours: maximum 12 units
Frequency: Every Spring, Summer and Fall (TBA)
Description: Student undertakes supervised research in a mentor's lab. The goal is to acquire independent research skills and to develop excellent writing and presentation abilities. A written report based on the research, prepared in the format of an actual scientific publication, must be submitted and presented to a select audience. Permission of the course Master Required.

Second Summer Semester

M21- 610: Independent Research
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Masters: D.C. Rao
Credit Hours: maximum 12 units
Frequency: Every spring, summer, and fall (TBA)
Description: Student undertakes supervised research in a mentor's lab. The goal is to acquire independent research skills and to develop excellent writing and presentation abilities. A written report based on the research, prepared in the format of an actual scientific publication, must be submitted and presented to a select audience.  Permission of the Course Master required.