SMED8020 – Genetic epidemiology

Title: SMED8020 – Genetic epidemiology

Date: 27-31 May

Location: NTNU

Number of places: 18

Course responsible: Ben Brumpton

Lecturers:  Rebecka Hjort, Marta Moksnes, Therese Haugdal Nøst, Ben Brumpton, Stephen Burgess, Brooke Wolford, Marijn Schipper

Registration: HERE

External students (non-NTNU) will need to register to study at NTNU as an external student here:

Registration deadline: May 1st, 2024.

REMEMBER TO APPLY FOR TRAVEL FUNDING FOR THE COURSE. See regulations here.

Please click here to check the official course website for any updates in the program.

Oral exam one week after the course. For participants who are traveling to Trondheim, the oral exam can be arranged online.

Course content

Maximum number of participants is 20. PhD candidates at NTNU, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and NORBIS members are given first priority.

The course focuses on the understanding of genetic epidemiology concepts and understanding of genetic variation in the population. Topics to be taught are study design, analysis methods (whole genome, mendelian randomization and functional follow-up), bias and confounding in analyses, implication of functional findings, the use of registry data and ethical considerations.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, the student should understand the concepts of genetic epidemiology, understand how genetic variation manifests itself in the population and how it can be studied. Know important tools and analysis methods for genome-wide analyses. Be able to assess and discuss results from such analyses, understand implications of functional findings and suggest follow-up analyses. Know analysis methods for MR-analyses. Be able to describe the construction of an instrument variable and assess the validity of such. Be able to assess and discuss results from MR-analyses.

Learning methods and activities

Teaching modalities: Lectures and problem solving. All lectures and problem solving activities are mandatory.

Compulsory assignments

Presence at lectures

Specific conditions

Compulsory activities from previous semester may be approved by the department.

Required previous knowledge

Admission requirements: Master degree or similar. Medical students at the students Research Program. Candidates with a lower degree will be assessed individually.

Course materials

Given material, lecture notes and published articles.