An appropriate portfolio of Electives is offered to students. The appropriate electives will be selected in consultation with the student's advisor.

* Preferred Elective for "Clinical Track "

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, 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m., 1:30 - 4:30 p.m., Shriners 3311)
Description:  Intensive hands-on summer training in SAS® during six full weekdays. 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 1 - 7, 2010). Contact the GEMS Program Manager for details and for the required permission of the Course Master (pa@wubios.wustl.edu or telephone 362-1052).

M21-505A: Biostatistics for Research Workers - Computer Lab
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Masters: Kenneth B. Schechtman, Chengjie Xiong, and colleagues
Credit Hours: 1 unit
Frequency: Every summer (July 19 - 3, 2010, MTWThF 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. in Summer 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 (July 1 - 7, 2010) 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).

M21-515A: Fundamentals of Genetic Epidemiology - Computer Lab
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Masters: Treva Rice, Yun Ju Sung, and colleagues
Credit Hours: 1 unit
Frequency: Every summer (August 2 - 13, 2010, MTWThF 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. in Summer 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.

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). 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- 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 (August 16 - 27, 2010, MTWThF 1:30 - 4:30 p.m., 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) 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).

Fall Semester

M21-616: Epidemiology, Clinical Trials, Study Design and 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.

M21- 5485 Human Linkage and Association Analysis - Computer Lab
Department: Biology and Biological Sciences
Course Masters: John Rice and colleagues
Credit Hours: 1 unit.
Frequency: Every fall (TTh 9:30 - 11:00 a.m., see syllabus for specific days, in Fall 2009; Shriners 3311)
Description: Hands-on experience doing parametric linkage analysis with the program LINKAGE, model free linkage analyses with Genehunter and Merlin, power computations with SLINK, quantitative trait analyses with SOLAR, LD computations with Haploview, and family-based and case-control association analyses with UNPHASED and SAS. The methods and exercises are coordinated with the lectures of M21 5483, and students are expected to understand underlying assumptions and limitations and the basic calculations performed by these computer programs. The registration/grade option of "Audit" is not available. Available only with concurrent registration in M21-5483. 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.

L24-439: Linear Statistics Models
Department: Mathematics
Course Master: Stanley Sawyer
Credit Hours: 3 units
Frequency: Every 2 years, not offered in Fall 2009
Description: An introduction to statistical methods based in linear algebra. Topics: multivariate normal distribution; quadratic forms; linear models and their classification; general linear hypothesis; regression models, analysis of variance; factorial, block, and variance components models; canonical correlation; factor analysis. Prerequisites: a course in linear algebra, such as Math 309 or 429, and a course in statistics that includes regression, such as Math 320.

L24-449: Numerical Applied Mathematics
Department: Mathematics
Course Master: Mladen Victor Wickerhauser
Credit Hours: 3 units
Frequency: Every Fall (MWF 3:00-4:00 p.m. in Fall 2009; Cupples I 207)
Description: Computer arithmetic, error propagation, condition number and stability; mathematical modeling, approximation and convergence; roots of functions; calculus of finite differences; implicit and explicit methods for initial and boundary value problems; numerical integration; numerical solution of linear systems, matrix equations, and eigensystems; Fourier transforms; optimization. Various software packages are introduced and used. STUDENTS WITH CREDIT FOR MATH 404 or 405 CANNOT ALSO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR 449. PREREQUISITES: Math 1201 or equivalent programming experience, 217, and 309.
 

L24-475: Statistical Computation
Department: Mathematics
Course Master: Nan Lin
Credit Hours: 3 units
Frequency: Every Fall (TuTh 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in Fall 2009; Cupples I, 1113)
Description: Applied statistics using SAS. An introduction to SAS and SAS programming; contingency tables and Mantel-Haenszel tests; general linear models and matrix operations; simple, multilinear, and stepwise regressions; ANOVAs with nested and crossed interactions; ANOVAs and regressions with vector-valued data (MANOVAs). Topics chosen from discriminant analysis, principal components analysis, logistic regression, survival analysis, and generalized linear models. Prereq: Math 320 and 493 (or 493 concurrently).

L41-4181: Population Genetics
Department: Biology and Biological Sciences
Course Master: Alan Templeton
Credit Hours: 3 units
Frequency: Every 2 years (TuTh 1:00-2:30 p.m. in Fall 2009; McDonnell 162)
Description: An introduction to the basic principles of population and ecological genetics. Mechanisms of microevolutionary processes; integrated ecological and genetic approach to study the adaptive nature of the evolutionary process. Prerequisite: Bio 2970.

L55-430 / L32-4301: Multi-Level Models in Quantitative Research
Department: Applied Statistics and Political Science
Course Master: Jeff Gill
Credit Hours: 3 units
Frequency: Annually (Th 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. in Fall 2009; McDonnell SB Cori)
Description: This course covers statistical model development with explicitly defined hierarchies. Such multilevel specifications allow researchers to account for different structures in the data and provide for the modeling of variation between defined groups. The course begins with simple nested linear models and proceeds on to non-nested models, multilevel models with dichotomous outcomes, and multilevel generalized linear models. In each case, a Bayesian perspective on inference and computation is featured. The focus on the course will be practical steps for specifying, fitting, and checking multilevel models with much time spent on the details of computation in the R and Bugs environments. Prereq: ASTAT 350 or 3067 or 364 or equivalent. A 2.5-day "R Boot Camp" will be offered in late summer. Tel. Joe Wilson at 454--8960 for details.

M17-513: Designing Outcomes and Clinical Research
Department: Clinical Investigation Training Center
Course Master: Brian F. Gage, M.D.
Credit Hours: 3 units
Frequency: Every Fall (W 3:30 - 5:45 p.m., begins Aug. 26 in 2009; CRTC Classroom, 2nd floor Wohl)
Description: This 34-hour course is led by Brian Gage, M.D., M.Sc., Associate Professor of Medicine. The course includes lectures and small group instruction from faculty members in the departments of Medicine, Surgery, and Pediatrics. DOC Research covers how to select a clinical research question, write a research protocol, and execute a clinical study. Topics include subject selection, observational end experimental study design, sample size estimation, clinical measurements, questionnaires and quality-of-life measurement, and data management. The course is designed for fellows and junior faculty who wish to conduct outcomes, epidemiologic, and patient-oriented clinical research. Students receive ongoing feedback as they incorporate research design concepts into their own research proposals. At the end of the course, students are required to submit a research protocol or a draft of a manuscript describing their research. The course consists of both lectures and small group discussions. Each student gives an oral presentation and presents a written paper or grant protocol for discussion and critique by faculty and other students. Three credits.  

M21-599: Directed Independent Study
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Master: D.C. Rao
Credit Hours: maximum 6 units
Frequency: Every spring, summer, and fall
Description:A faculty member will work with the student in specific areas related to the student's primary needs. Requires the approval of the GEMS Director.

Spring Semester  

L24-420: Experimental Design
Department: Mathematics
Course Masters: Stanley Sawyer
Credit Hours: 3 units.
Frequency: Every 2 years, (MWF 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. in Spring 2010)
Description: A first course in the design and analysis of experiments, from the point of view of regression. Factorial, randomized block, split-plot, Latin square, and similar design. Prerequisite: Math 320 or equivalent.

M17-529: Scientific Writing and Publishing
Department: Clinical Investigation Program
Course Masters: Karen Dodson, BS and Jay Piccirillo, MD
Credit Hours: 2 units.
Frequency: Every spring (Tuesdays 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. in spring 2010; TBA)
Description: The objective of this course is to teach the proper techniques of writing and publishing a biomedical manuscript. Writing a working title and structured abstract as well as hand drawing of figures and tables is covered. Publishing strategies are also discussed.

L41-5488: Genomics
Department: Biology and Biological Sciences
Course Master: Barak Cohen and Robi D. Mitra
Credit Hours: maximum 4 units
Frequency: Every spring (MW10:00-11:30 a.m., Labs on Fr 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. in Spring 2010)
at 4444 Forest Park Bldg, 5206
Description: A hybrid of concepts and practical applications in genomics. Areas covered include how genomes are mapped and sequenced, computational methods for gene predictions, functional genomic techniques for ascribing function to DNA, RNA and protein sequence and how genomic techniques and resources can advance the study of human disease. Heavy emphasis will be placed on students acquiring basic skills needed to navigate and manipulate databases of DNA sequence, gene expression and other types of genome wide data. Prerequisites, Molecular Cell Biology (Bio 5068), Nucleic Acids (Bio 548) or by permission of instructor. Lecture 3 units of credit; lab 1 additional unit, space limited.

L41-5491: Advanced Genetics
Course Master: Tim B. Schedl
Department: Biology and Biological Sciences
Credit Hours: 3 units
Frequency: Every spring (Tu TH 2:00 -3:30 p.m, Discussion sections Mo 12:00 -1:00 in Spring 2010
at McDonnell Sci Bldg 823)
Description:Fundamental aspects of organismal genetics with emphasis on experimental studies that have contributed to the molecular analysis of complex biological problems. Examples drawn from bacteria, yeast, nematodes, fruit flies and mammalian systems. Prerequisite, graduate standing or permission of instructor.

L41-510: Ethical and Legal Issues in Clinical Research
Course Master: Anna Iltis
Department: Clinical Investigation
Credit Hours: 2 units
Frequency: Every spring (Mondays 4:00-6:00 p.m., Spring 2010 TBA)
Description: This course prepares clinical researchers to critically evaluate ethical and regulatory issues in clinical research. The principal goal of this course is to prepare clinical researchers to identify ethical issues in clinical research and the situational factors that give rise to them, to identify ethics and compliance resources, and to foster ethical problem-solving skills. The course aims to deliver practical guidance for investigators through discussion of critical areas of clinical research ethics. An additional aim of the course is to enable participants to recognize the different ways in which research participants may be vulnerable and the ethical issues raised by including and excluding vulnerable participants. By the end of the course, participants will understand the regulatory framework that governs human subjects research and the distinction between compliance and ethics; be able to identify major ethical concerns in the conduct of clinical research, including situational factors that may give rise to ethical concerns; and be able to apply an ethical problem-solving model in clinical research.

M21-599: Directed Independent Study
Department: Division of Biostatistics
Course Master: D.C. Rao
Credit Hours: maximum 6 units
Frequency: Every spring, summer, and fall
Description: A faculty member will work with the student in specific areas related to the student's primary needs. Requires the approval of the GEMS Director.