The course provides an introduction to human disease and our understanding of key conditions with major global health and societal impact, including cardiovascular, neurological and infectious diseases and cancer. The basic concepts of disease mechanisms and current management will be explored using specific diseases and clinical example cases.
Also offered online.
LEARNING HOURS may vary 120(12L;36G;36O;36P)

An introduction to pathology and molecular medicine. The course will be organized around a specific set of diseases, designed to illustrate basic concepts in the molecular biology, biochemistry, and pathology of human disease.
NOTE Also offered online. Consult the Bachelor of Health Sciences program office.

PATH 381 covers advanced topics of biochemistry and analytical chemistry in relation to the practice of clinical biochemistry in healthcare. Students will critique how laboratory principles, biochemistry, and analytical techniques are applied to practical medical problems in the context of various diseases. Through problem-based learning approaches, students will gain experience in identifying and troubleshooting issues in laboratory testing as well as the integrated role of clinical biochemists within a healthcare team.

The course introduces data science tools and methods to handle, process and extract knowledge and insights from large molecular medicine datasets. The focus will be on applying statistics, machine learning and related methods for the analysis of various research datasets and digital pathology.
LEARNING HOURS 120(18L12pC;84G;6O;36P)

An advanced level course introducing current topics in human genetics. The course will focus on the significance and implications of genetic variation and its role in disease, development and normal human diversity. In particular, the course will explore the future directions and implications of human genetic research in the post genomic era. Participation in seminars and group discussions is required. Enrollment is limited.
RECOMMENDATION BCHM 218/3.0 or MBIO 218/3.0 or permission of the course coordinator.

An in-depth perspective of the pathogenesis of human disease. An integration of the genetic, biochemical, physiologic, anatomic, and general etiologic factors which play a role in the progression of several specific diseases from inception to death or recovery. The course will comprise short introductory presentations by teaching faculty followed by the presentation and discussion of relevant scientific papers by students. Given jointly with PATH 826/3.0.

A research project involving the study of human disease processes. The project will be supervised by a Faculty member in the Department and will provide opportunities for experimental design, data analysis and both written and oral presentation of results. Students must contact a potential faculty supervisor in the Spring preceding registration in fourth year.
NOTE Acceptance by a supervisor required prior to registration.
NOTE Students whose research requires the care and/or handling of animals must also complete the Introductory Animal Care Course and if required the appropriate Animal Use workshops through the Office of the University Veterinarian.
LEARNING HOURS 480 (288Lb;24G;24I;144P).

Intended for students engaged or interested in pre-clinical cancer research. Both medical and basic science trainees are encouraged to take this course. Specific areas to be covered include introduction to new drug development, molecular basis of oncogenic transformation and signalling pathways, challenges with current cancer therapeutics, molecular approaches to profiling human cancers as tools for identifying biochemical and genetic abnormalities and developing criteria for reliable prognostic indicators; strategies for novel target and drug discovery, as well as experimental drug delivery; novel imaging approaches to enhance the sensitivity of preclinical testing and selection of responsive patients; preclinical (in vitro and animal) models for validating experimental targets; clinical drug development and testing of novel anti-cancer drugs; and the molecular basis for variability in tumour responses. Half course, lectures and seminars; fall term. C. Nicol

The aim of this course is to introduce and discuss essential questions in the basic science of oncology.  Trainees with an interest in cancer research are encouraged to take this course.  Topics include pathology of cancer, cancer genetics, growth factors, signal transduction, oncogenes, suppressor genes, early stage tumorigenesis, tumor immunology and metastasis. A general theme for the course will be mechanisms regulating neoplastic transformation and tumor progression.  In order to provide a balance and high profile in all areas, various staff members in the Cancer Research Institute and associated departments have been selected as session leaders in this course. Half course, lectures and seminars; fall term. B. Elliott.

This course covers several diseases that highlight the genetic, biochemical, physiologic, anatomic, and general etiologic factors that play a role in the progression of each disease from its inception to death or recovery. Some of the topics will be drawn from the ongoing research within the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine. The perspective will demonstrate that each disease is the result of an evolving interplay of genetic and environmental factors. (Jointly with PATH-430*. Additional work prescribed for graduate students.) Half-course, lectures and seminars; Winter term. D. Lillicrap.

Research projects in the physiological, biological, genetic and molecular basis of disease. Students will review the literature related to their proposed graduate research thesis project and write a series of essays on topics selected in consultation with a supervisory committee consisting of their supervisor and two other faculty. They will also develop a written draft research proposal that will be presented to their supervisory committee and defended in a final oral examination. To be taken by all students in the first full term of the graduate program. P.Greer (course coordinator).

Bioinformatics is an essential component of biological and health science research given the ongoing developments in generating large amounts of data in short periods of time. This course introduces tools and methods to manage and analyze the results obtained in cancer research. Topics include study design, basic statistics for clinical and genetic research, data-mining approaches and alternative methods to statistics for data analysis, and signaling pathways analysis. The course will cover the appropriate pre-processing and data analysis techniques for various genetic data types such as microarray, tissue microarrays, methylation, NanoString, RNAseq, miRNAseq, proteomics and qRT-PCR. Students with little computing background, but who are interested in pursuing or collaborating with bioinformatic research, are encouraged to enroll.

This seminar series consists of weekly presentations by visiting external speakers, Queen's faculty, and Departmental MSc and PhD students. MSc students will give 1/2 hour seminars in their first year, and one hour seminars in their second year; PhD students will give 1 hour seminars in their first and third years, and an exit seminar in their final year. Attendance by all Departmental graduate students is compulsory and will be monitored by the Graduate Program Coordinator. Departmental faculty will provide evaluations of student presentations. Only one mark will be assigned, based on the average of the student's first two seminars. If a grade is submitted for Path 830, a second rading for Path 930 is unnecessary.

Pathology and Molecular Medicine Research Seminar Series
This seminar series consists of weekly presentations by visiting external speakers, Queen's faculty, and Departmental MSc and PhD students. MSc students will give 1/2 hour seminars in their first year, and one hour seminars in their second year; PhD students will give 1 hour seminars in their first and third years, and an exit seminar in their final year. Attendance by all Departmental graduate students is compulsory and will be monitored by the Graduate Program Coordinator. Departmental faculty will provide evaluations of student resentations. Only one mark will be assigned, based on the average of the student's first two seminars. If a grade is submitted for Path 830, a second grading for Path 930 is unnecessary.