Clinical and Applied Genetics and Genomics

Full course description

In conjunction with course 1101 ‘Advanced Principles of genetics and genomics’, course 1102 (Clinical and applied genetics and genomics) makes up the specialization track ‘Genetics and Genomics’. This course aims at providing the students with a broad knowledge and expertise in the field of genetics and genomics, and more specifically how these technologies can be applied to scientific research questions, the diagnosis of human diseases in the clinic, and forensics.

This course will elaborate further on genetic fundamentals discussed in the previous courses (1001 and 1101) and includes amongst others currently applied analyses in the clinic as well as some unusual genetic phenomena. Furthermore, state‐of‐the‐art technologies applied in genetic and genomic studies will be discussed including their applications in clinical practice, which, as students will learn, is not as straightforward as seen in certain popular media (eg. CSI, Flikken Maastricht and other TV‐series). Moreover, researchers in the fields of genetics and genomics are confronted with numerous ethical issues restraining their studies. The students will be introduced to some of these ethical problems and challenged how to handle these in practice.

models, cellular models and animal models).in silico An interesting additional skill the student will learn is to implement acquired knowledge from the courses (1001, 1101 and 1102) in the study of different model systems in genetic research (

Based on this knowledge as well as the input of expert staff lectures, the students will get the chance to work in groups on a scientific project application. This will make them aware of the complexities involved in the project writing process, but also will prepare them for a future role in the scientific community.