Courses
Upon admission, students are assigned a graduate adviser who guides them through
the program's formal requirements. The student also chooses a major professor who
serves as a mentor and later supervises the dissertation research. Students work
with their major professor and graduate adviser to design a course of study that
may include courses offered by other graduate programs or departments.
Required Genetics Graduate Courses
Core Courses:
GGG 201A - Transmission Genetics (fall quarter)
Lecture—3 hours, Discussion - 2 hours. Prerequisite: Biological Sciences 101,
introductory statistics and calculus. Study of segregation, linkage, and mapping
and the modifications of Mendel’s original genetic model
GGG 201B - Genomics (fall quarter)
Lecture - 3 hours, Discussion - 2 hours. Covers the technological basis of genomics
from its historical roots through today's emerging methodologies. Topics include
genome structure, physical mapping, sequencing, genome assembly, sequence similarity,
gene finding, gene expression, natural variation, proteomics, and metabolomics.
GGG 201C/MCB 221C Molecular Biology (spring quarter)
Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: Molecular and Cellular Biology 221A or the
equivalent. Pass 1 restricted to graduate students in biochemistry and molecular
biology, microbiology, or genetics. Structure and organization of DNA and chromatin;
DNA replication, repair and recombination; transcription and RNA processing; protein
biosynthesis and turnover; transcriptional and post-transcriptional control mechanisms;
examples from eukaryotic and eubacterial cells, and virsuses. (Same course as Molecular
and Cellular Biology 221C.)
GGG 201D - Quantitative and Population Genetics (winter quarter)
Lecture—5 hours. Prerequisite: course 201A or consent of instructor. Basic
concepts of quantitative and population genetics including gene and genotypic frequencies,
multiple factor hypothesis, phenotypic and genotypic values, heritability, selection,
genetic variation, the detection of quantitative trait loci and evolution in populations.
Experimental and analytical methods.
Seminar Courses:
GGG 291 - History of Genetics (winter quarter)
Seminar-2 hours. Prerequisite: Biological Sciences 101. The development of modern
genetic theories beginning with Mendel.
GGG 293 - Seminar in Animal Genetics
Seminar-2 hours. Prerequisite: course 201A or consent of instructor. Emphasis on
recent advances in the field of animal genomics, ranging from quantitative genetics
to molecular biology as it relates to animals.
GGG 294 - Seminar in Human Genetics
Seminar- 2 hours. Prerequisite: course 201A and consent of instructor. Topics of
current interest in human genetics and genomics.
GGG 295 - Seminar in Molecular Genetics
Seminar-2 hours. Prerequisite: course 201A or consent of instructor. Topics of current
interest related to the structure, modification and expression of genes.
GGG 297 - Seminar in Plant Genetics
Seminar-2 hours. Prerequisite: course 201A or consent of instructor. Current topics
in plant genetics will be examined. The integration of molecular, organismal and
population geentics to addresss questions in plant biology will be emphasized.
Laboratory courses:
GGG 205 - Molecular Genetics Laboratory - Laboratory Rotations (fall, winter,
spring quarters)
Laboratory—15 hours. Prerequisite: Biological Sciences 101 (may be taken concurrently)
or the equivalent, enrolled in Genetics Graduate Group. Students will conduct experiments
in molecular genetics laboratories. Individual research problems will emphasize
experimental design, experience with methodologies, and data interpretation. May
be repeated up to three times for credit. (S/U grading only.)
GGG 207L - Research Methods in Plant Genetics Laboratory (laboratory rotations
for students with major professors; fall, winter, spring quarters)
Laboratory—6-15 hours. Prerequisite: course 207 (may be taken concurrently).
Working knowledge of contemporary methodologies in plant genetics is obtained by
participating in research programs of the various Plant Genetics Affinity Group
members. (S/U grading only.)
Other GGG courses:
GGG 210 - Horizontal Gene Transfer (fall quarter)
Lecture/discussion—3 hours. Prerequisite: background in basic microbiology
and genetics required; introductory course in molecular biology, biotechnology and
microbial and animal/plant genetics recommended. Transfer of genes between unrelated
organisms in nature. Dissemination of foreign DNA from genetically engineered organisms,
including plants and animals. Mechanisms by which genes are transferred horizontally,
and between kingdoms.
GGG 211 - Concepts in Human Genetics and Genomics (winter quarter, odd years)
Lecture - 3 hours. Prerequisite: GGG 201A or equivalent (201B and 201C are recommended).
Human genomic organization; genetic structure of human populations; positional cloning
of genes for human disease, application of linkage, association, and haplotypes
for human studies; quantitative trait loci analyses; integrative genetic studies
of gene expression; DNA repair mechanisms in genetic disease; mutation analyses;
epigentics in human disease; human mitochondrial DNA disease; gene manipulation
and gene therapy.
GGG 220/VCR 200 - Genomics & Biotechnology of Plant Improvement (winter
quarter)
Lecture—3 hours. Prerequisite: Biological Sciences 101 or the equivalent.
Integration of modern biotechnology and classical plant breeding including the impact
of structural, comparative and functional genomics on gene discovery, characterization
and exploitation. Also covers molecular markers, plant transformation, hybrid production,
disease resistance, and novel output traits. (Same course as Vegetable Crops 220.)
GGG 296 - Scientific Professionalism and Integrity (fall quarter)
Lecture—1 hour; seminar—1 hour. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent
of instructor. Review of basic skills required of contemporary scientists. Topics
include scientific conduct, manuscript preparation, grant writing, seminar presentations,
and time management. Emphasis on responsibilities of scientists to factually and
thoughtfully communicate results. (S/U grading only.)
GGG 298 - Group study (fall, winter, spring quarters)
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Group study of selected topics in genetics.
(S/U grading only.)
GGG 299 - Research (fall, winter, spring quarters)
(S/U grading only.)
GGG 300 - Methods in Teaching Genetics (fall, winter, spring quarters)
Lecture/discussion. Prerequisite: graduate standing and consent of instructor. Practical
experience in the methods and problems of teaching genetics. Includes analysis of
texts and supporting material, discussion of teaching techniques, preparing for
and conducting discussion or laboratory sections, formulating examinations under
supervision of instructor. May be repeated for credit up to 3 times or 9 units if
teaching in different genetics-related course. (S/U grading only.)
UC Davis General Catalog
