1. IDP-BMS Genetics concentration peggyw@ufl.edupeggyw@ufl.edu, 392-3055 (ARB) leizhou@ufl.eduleizhou@ufl.edu, 273-8169 (CGRC) UF Dept. of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology Lei Zhou, PhD [me – Peggy Wallace, PhD] and

2. 35 students (21 mentors) 6 students joined last year First 88 graduates (2001 through 2014):  ave. 5.4 years  ave. 1.8 first-author publications  ave. 2.6 co-authored publications. 31% academia, 17% biotech/pharma, 38% fellows/non-tenure positions, 6% federal agencies, 10% other Curriculum: The > 6 advanced coursework hours (after first year): any IDP-approved courses. Genetics Journal Club each Fall, with choice of journal club in the spring

3. Genetics as a project Create or collect mutant cells/animals (spontaneous, vector-directed, induced by carcinogens). Study vs “wild type” Use the reverse to prove a concept or specificity (complement or rescue). Survey or breed populations to test inheritance, population parameters and dynamics, genetic mechanisms. Hypothesis-driven OR discovery-based studies Often can’t predict what you will discover

4. Genetics as tools in a project Vectors (transgene, shRNA, etc) Animal models Population nucleic acid samples Cell models Studying specific genes Omics sequence and data (genome, transcriptome, methylome, epigenome) Bioinformatics

5. wide range of research topics gene therapy (create vectors, test models) mouse genetics (disease models, test mechanisms) other models (fruit fly, axolotl) epigenetics (imprinting, chromatin) structure/function (pheno/geno) stem cells cancer genetics omics and bioinformatics biomarkers and translational projects prokaryote genetics genetics of viral pathogens population genetics genetic linkage & association

6. Conditions Studied ALS, Pompe Disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Spinocerebral ataxia, neurofibromatosis, trauma, Angelman’s syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Huntington’s disease, Usher syndrome, cardiomyopathy, myotonic dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, leukemia, Kaposi’s sarcoma, HSV1 infection, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, salivary gland tumors, wound healing, vitiligo, pain, liver cancer, HIV, cylindromatosis, diabetes, lung cancer, hemoglobinopathies, Williams syndrome, supravalvular aortic stenosis.