Courses | Winter 2020

Current topics relevant to inclusion and exclusion will be reviewed. An examination of research in disability provides an opportunity for the student to learn, understand, and compare legislation, policy, and ethical frameworks that inform action. Frameworks of choice, respect, consultation, collaboration, and co-operation will be examined.

Prerequisite(s): Must be registered in the Community Health Sciences graduate program. Consent of the instructor is required for all other students.   

A constructivist exploration of language, political structures, and sense of self to deepen the understanding of health capacity and disability.

Prerequisite(s): Must be registered in the Community Health Sciences graduate program. Consent of the instructor is required for all other students.   

Provides an in-depth view of the impact of new emerging technologies and the governance of science and technology and health research on social policy, disability studies, disability research and the lives of disabled people and other marginalized groups.

Prerequisite(s): Must be registered in the Community Health Sciences graduate program. Consent of the instructor is required for all other students.   

An introduction to the fundamental statistical methods used in health data science including interpretation and communicating the results of these methods. Explores modelling using an epidemiological paradigm such as the assessment for modification and confounding. Introduces fundamental health research methods including study design and the evidence hierarchy.

Prerequisite(s): Data Science 601, 602, 603 and 604, and admission to the Graduate Certificate in Data Science and Analytics.  

An introduction to the application of machine learning methods to problems in health data. The concepts of precision medicine and precision public health are introduced and the role of data science in these endeavors is explored. Using real examples from health data, various contemporary machine learning techniques are taught.

Prerequisite(s): Data Science 601, 602, 603 and 604, and admission to the Graduate Certificate in Data Science and Analytics.  

Many of the major health data assets that exist in Alberta and Canada will be explored through hands-on experience with several datasets. Issues relating to access, confidentiality, privacy and data stewardship will be examined. Methodological challenges related to data linkage will be discussed. Students will work with large health databases including health administrative data, electronic medical record data and various other databases.

Prerequisite(s): Data Science 601, 602, 603 and 604, and admission to the Graduate Certificate in Data Science and Analytics.  

Explores the synthesis and summary of large volumes of information into interpretable and compelling results. Software packages useful for visualization of data are examined, including software for geographic information systems, augmented reality, and infographics. Data Science software commonly used in health industry is examined. Fundamental design principles are introduced to guide the approach to data presentation, communication, and interpretation.

Prerequisite(s): Data Science 601, 602, 603 and 604, and admission to the Graduate Certificate in Data Science and Analytics.  

Extends the fundamental concepts to modelling health outcomes using modern regression analysis techniques. Logistic and linear regressions, and their extensions, are covered in detail. The rationale, formulation, and statistical assumptions underlying each regression technique are discussed. Methods for selecting and assessing models are included. Additional topics include a brief introduction to models used in the analysis of repeated measures, longitudinal studies, and time-to-event data. STATA statistical software is used to analyze data. Required course for Biostatistics and Epidemiology specializations.

Prerequisite: Community Health Sciences 610 or Medical Science 643.01 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program. Not available to Open Studies students.

Overview of context in which medicine is taught and learned, the theory related to learning and change, the key elements of curriculum design and evaluation, and examine traditional and innovative methods used to enhance student and practitioner knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Medical Education Specialization of the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.

Surveillance is a public health function. Topics included in this online course include definition and overview of public health surveillance, indicators, frameworks and principles for the planning and evaluation of surveillance systems; analysis and interpretation of surveillance data; communication of public health information; and legal and ethical issues relevant to surveillance systems.

Prerequisite: Community Health Sciences 610 and 640 or Medical Science 643.01 and 647.01 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program. 

Designed for students who have some familiarity and experience in epidemiology, biostatistics and who have a background in clinical health care or related field. It focuses on the application of epidemiologic methods to clinical health issues.

Prerequisite: Community Health Sciences 610 and 640 or Medical Science 643.01 and 647.01 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program with a clinical background or consent of the program.

Focuses on the principles of epidemiology that are of particular relevance to infectious diseases. The course emphasizes the research aspects of infectious diseases epidemiology and how the basic techniques of epidemiology and biostatistics are applied in the communicable diseases.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.  

An introduction to the fundamental concepts of health services research including topics related to health systems and methods in health services research, as well as evaluation of health systems performance, with emphasis on knowledge translation and health policy creation and analysis.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Community Health Sciences Graduate Program or consent of the program. 

Application of basic concepts from economics to examination of health and health care policy issues, such as why we have the kind of health care system we have, various aspects of health care reform, promotion of health, and evaluation of interventions.

Prerequisites: Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.

Administrative data have been used widely for decision making and research. Analysis of the data requires knowledge of the data features and unique analytical skills since the data are not collected for research purposes. This course is designed to provide these skills. Through analyzing available administrative data, students will write manuscripts suitable for publications at peer-reviewed journals.

Prerequisites: Minimum grade of "B+" in Community Health Sciences 610 and 640 or Medical Science 643.01 and 647.01 and consent of the program.

An advanced level course focused on developing and deepening participants' understanding of critical policy issues affecting health and health services. The course will primarily review health policy in the context of Canadian populations and systems. However, a more global comparative frame of reference will be used to test, challenge and contrast both the historical and current underpinnings of health policy in Canadian jurisdictions.

Prerequisites: Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.   

Introduction to health research, including research design, measurement, data collection, proposal and grant writing.

Prerequisite: Community Health Sciences 610 or Medical Science 643.01 and admission to in the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program. Not available to Open Studies students.

A focus understanding and appraising published examples of qualitative research on health topics as well as analyzing qualitative findings in health research. The importance of both methods and theories for ensuring rigor will be emphasized. Examples of relevance to people’s experiences of health, illness and health care as well as the social and structural determinants of health will be considered.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program. 

An expansion on the understanding of causality and threats to validity in epidemiologic research. The focus will be on the assessment and control of bias, including selection, information and confounding. The concept of effect modification (interaction) will be appraised. Stratified analysis will be considered as a tool for the assessment and control of confounding and effect modification and will be applied to a variety of study designs including case-control, and cohort studies.

Prerequisite: Community Health Sciences 640 or Medical Science 647.01 and admission to the Community Health Sciences graduate program or consent of the program.     

Review of clinical trials strategies and the regulations around them. An emphasis will be placed on regulatory obligations and current trends.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Master of Biomedical Technology program or consent of the Program Director

Introduction to effective strategies for communication to diverse audiences of investors, corporations and clients in the biomedical technology sector, plus consideration of optimal marketing and sales approaches with appropriate channel selection.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Master of Biomedical Technology program or consent of the Program Director

Real-life presentations by corporate executives with an emphasis on strategic planning at the highest level, with examples of successes, failures and works in progress. Critical evaluation of publicly traded biotechnology corporations.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Master of Biomedical Technology program or consent of the Program Director

Integrating lessons learned in prior business modules and extrapolating to the corporate environment, plus business pitches.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Master of Biomedical Technology program or consent of the Program Director

The links between cancer and aging, the experimental definition of the cell cycle, major events in G0, G1, S, G2, M, drivers and regulators of the cell cycle including oncogenes and tumour suppressors, cyclins, CDKs, CDIs and links to the cell cycle through tumour suppressors will be covered. An overview of biological and replicative aging including recent developments regarding the role of epigenetic modifications in cancer and aging.

Prerequisite: Consent of the Program

Fundamentals of eukaryotic chromatin assembly, dynamic chromatin regulation and post-translational modifications that comprise epigenetics. DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications, histone variants, regulatory siRNA, nucleosome remodelling and higher-order chromatin organization. Cancer and disease-associated epigenetic alterations will be discussed in detail.

Prerequisite: Consent of the Program

DNA repair pathways, highlighting the cellular responses to ionizing radiation will be covered, including: base excision repair, mismatch repair, nucleotide excision repair, and DNA single strand and double strand break repair.  The relationship of replication stress and telomere maintenance to genomic instability in a cancer context will be covered.

Prerequisite: Consent of the Program

An advanced discussion-based format featuring analysis of the current literature in cancer cell biology with an emphasis on developmental systems. Background in cancer cell biology and signal transduction is essential. Topics include stem cells, cell polarity and migration, endocytosis and mitochondrial biogenesis, and are selected based on the student's research project to enhance their learning experience.

Prerequisite: Consent of the Program

Angiogenesis, cell invasion and metastasis will be discussed from molecular, cell biological and clinical perspectives. Methods of experimental modelling of metastatic behaviour and angiogenesis, as well as their respective advantages and limitations will be discussed. There will be lab demonstration of available in vitro and in vivo invasion/metastasis/angiogenesis models.

Prerequisite: Consent of the Program

Virulence factors used by microbial pathogens to cause disease. Topics include microbial adherence mechanisms, toxigenic infections, virulence factor secretion systems, microbial gene expression.

Prerequisite: Medical Science 611, Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology 431, or consent of the program.

Strategies used by microbial pathogens to target mucosal surfaces, and their contribution to disease. Topics include microbial disruption of epithelial barrier function, interactions with the host microbiome, microbial adaptation to host defenses, and invasion and intracellular survival strategies.

Prerequisite: Medical Science 611, Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology 431, or consent of the program.

Mechanism of action of antimicrobials, and resistance genes. Topics will also include transmission of resistance and discovery of new antimicrobials.

Prerequisite: Medical Science 611, Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology 431, or consent of the program.

Covers key bioinformatics concepts and practices, as well as the basic knowledge of how to access resources for graduate-level biologists who are not bioinformatics specialists. Introduces essential bioinformatics terminologies, discusses the use of bioinformatics to infer information about an organism from its genome. Provides practical experience with bioinformatics tools and develop basic skills in the collection and presentation of bioinformatics data.

Prerequisite: Consent of the program.

Covers high throughput DNA sequencing technologies and genome-wide association genetics. Provides an overview of the available genomics technologies and their applications for high throughput discovery in biology (model organisms) and medicine (cancer and Mendelian disease genomics). Discussions will also encompass research ethics considerations for collecting, storing and using human genomic data.

Prerequisite: Consent of the program.

Specialized topics including basic principles of infection; spread, prevention and control of infectious diseases; mechanisms of and approaches to study bacterial pathogenesis; mechanism, methodology and modelling of gene expression.

613.01. Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases 

Prerequisite: Medical Science 612 or Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology 421 or 521 or consent of the Faculty.

Introductory neuroscience courses covering aspects of cellular, molecular, and systems physiology, neuroanatomy, and neurodevelopment. 

619.02. Systems Neuroscience and Neuropathology

Prerequisite: Admission to the Neuroscience Graduate Program or consent of the instructor.  

Respiratory physiology; including topics such as cellular, morphology, mechanics, control of breathing, and respiratory muscles, necessary to an understanding of respiration and respiratory failure. As well, core physiology and molecular biology underlying critical illness.

623.02. Physiology of Respiration and Critical Illness 

Prerequisite: Zoology 463 or 465 or consent of the Faculty.

Includes topics such as basic physiologic mechanisms including excitation-contraction coupling, mechanics, energetics, and cardiovascular control; major diseases entities as a means of illustrating pathologic alterations in normal physiologic mechanisms; or a systematic in-depth examination of the chemicals that affect the cardiovascular system. 

629.02. Cardiovascular Pathophysiology 

Prerequisite: Consent of the Faculty.

Focuses on the physiology and pathophysiology of the gastrointestinal tract, lung and other mucosal tissues. A particular emphasis will be placed on inflammatory processes in these tissues, and how they contribute to symptom generation and tissue dysfunction. Involves independent research on the part of the students, small group sessions, written assignments and class presentations

Prerequisite: Consent of the Faculty.

Introductory and advanced courses in immunology that cover humoral and cellular immunity and the inflammatory response at the cellular, molecular, and whole organism level. Basic mechanisms that lead to immunity or to inflammatory responses. The contribution of immunological and inflammatory processes in the immunopathogenesis of disease. 

639.04. Inflammation

Prerequisite: Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology 527 or consent of the Faculty.

Introductory immunology for graduate students who have no background in immunology in their undergraduate studies. It provides a comprehensive overview of the immune responses: antibody-antigen interaction, antibody structure, genetics and synthesis, cellular immunology, MHC, phagocytosis, and tolerance. Using this basic understanding of fundamental immune processes the involvement of the immune response in autoimmunity, hypersensitivity, tissue rejection, tumor immunology, vaccine production, viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections will be discussed. Additionally, methods for the study of immunology will be covered.

Prerequisite: Consent of the Faculty.
Antirequisite: Credit for Medical Science 640 and Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology 527 will not be allowed.

Advanced courses that provide in-depth coverage of the research discipline of genetics, including the areas of cytogenetics, genomics, metabolic genetics, mouse genetics, population genetics, and human and medical genetics. 

641.03. Advanced Genetics II

Prerequisite: Consent of the Instructor

Foundational techniques and current research in bioinformatics are explored. Focus on biological concepts and relevant algorithms. Topics covered will include large-scale programmatic data access via data-marts and genome browsers, visualization, statistical techniques, and analysis of sequence and ‘omics datasets.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Bioinformatics specialization of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology graduate program or consent of instructor.

Notes: This course assumes some computational background including programming or scripting ability.

Introduction to the theory and practical applications of medical imaging. Specific courses focus on an overview of modern diagnostic imaging techniques (689.01), as well as advanced study of specific techniques including magnetic resonance imaging (689.02) and medical image processing (689.03), and molecular imaging (689.04). 

689.02. Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging 

Prerequisite: Admission to a graduate program with specialization in Medical Imaging or consent of the instructor.

Introduction to the theory and practical applications of medical imaging. Specific courses focus on an overview of modern diagnostic imaging techniques (689.01), as well as advanced study of specific techniques including magnetic resonance imaging (689.02) and medical image processing (689.03), and molecular imaging (689.04). 

689.03 - Advanced Medical Image Processing 

Prerequisite: Admission to a graduate program with specialization in Medical Imaging or consent of the instructor.

Introduction to the theory and practical applications of medical imaging. Specific courses focus on an overview of modern diagnostic imaging techniques (689.01), as well as advanced study of specific techniques including magnetic resonance imaging (689.02) and medical image processing (689.03), and molecular imaging (689.04). 

MDSC 689.11 - Medical Imaging Applications 

Prerequisite: Admission to a graduate program with specialization in Medical Imaging or consent of the instructor.

Introductory course for graduate students with an interest in mammalian morphology to human cadaver dissection, human anatomy concepts and teaching strategies within the medical professional curriculum. Weekly lectures and discussions supplement a cadaver dissection-based course intended for students interested in pursuing an academic career in a medically related field.

Prerequisite: Should have some previous experience with dissection. Consent of the instructors.

Normal histology of the human body and how it relates to the pathologic mechanisms of function and disease will be discussed and presented in small group format.

Prerequisite: Admission to the Master of Pathologists' Assistant program or the Pathologists’ Assistant specialization of the Medical Science graduate program, or consent of the instructor..

The primary goal is the technical skills of grossing a surgical specimen in a safe and appropriate manner. Secondary goals include skill development in quality management, ancillary techniques, frozen section cutting, and medical photography.

748.02. Surgical Pathology Practicum II

Prerequisite: Admission to the Master of Pathologists' Assistant program or the Pathologists’ Assistant specialization of the Medical Science graduate program, or consent of the instructor.

Hands on rotation that will train students how to perform autopsies under the supervision of a pathologist. Knowledge from anatomy, physiology, histology, and human pathology will be incorporated in the training. 

749.02. Autopsy Pathology Practicum II

Prerequisite: Admission to the Master of Pathologists' Assistant program or the Pathologists’ Assistant specialization of the Medical Science graduate program or consent of the instructor.

Guided work with practical research, encouraging independent thought and collaboration with pathologists and clinical colleagues.  Requires completion of written reports and oral presentation on research performed.

750.02. Pathologists' Assistant Research Project II

Prerequisite: Admission to the Master of Pathologists' Assistant program or consent of the instructor.