Summer Course
Molecular Biology of Human Disease: ME728
Summer: July 3 - July 25, 2018
The MD-PhD Program summer course, Molecular Biology of Human Disease, directed by Dr.
Cammie Lesser, is required of all entering MD-PhD students. It is taken concurrently with the first laboratory
research rotation preceding the first year of the program. The course is organized around four blocks, each of which is focused on a particular area of biomedical research. The areas are chosen to represent a cross-section of science at Harvard and to reflect the expertise of a select group of HMS faculty chosen for their teaching excellence. Many of the faculty members hold M.D. and Ph.D. degrees, making them excellent role models for the entering students. In addition, the course content is carefully integrated with the subject areas of the major graduate programs represented among the current MD-PhD student body, including the four DMS graduate programs, Harvard Biophysics and MIT Biology.
The course spans approximately four weeks from July 3, 2018 to July 25, 2018, meeting Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The intervening day or weekend
gives students a chance to prepare for the discussions and to integrate
their coursework with their laboratory rotation. The first hour and a
half of each class consists of a discussion of one to two papers, assigned
for critical reading, that are relevant to the previous course day’s
lecture. These discussions, which are led by two students each, are also
attended by the faculty member who assigned the paper(s) and by Dr. Cammie Lesser, Course Director.
Following the class discussion, students are presented with a lecture that
provides didactic content in the form of key principles and examples.
While most faculty give lectures with slides, the lecture format also
includes blackboard presentations, videos, and in one session pertinent to
cancer genetics, hands-on examination of pathological tumor specimens. Students
are encouraged to ask questions and make comments during the lectures. Before
the end of each class, faculty members give a brief introduction to the paper(s)
they have assigned for the next class discussion, including an explanation
of any new methods. Thus, the students are well prepared to consider the assigned
papers, in terms of both their knowledge ease and their appreciation of the
paper’s
position in its field. The discussions consider issues such as experimental
design and logic, controls, and interpretation of data, as well as the
paper’s
conclusions. Some papers are deliberately chosen because they contain
flaws. The student leaders for each discussion meet with the responsible faculty
member beforehand to discuss the papers.
Feedback is provided to students on an individual basis. Evaluations of each
session are solicited from both students and faculty. Camaraderie among
the entering class allows students to interact closely with outstanding faculty
role models and each other. The course also hones the students’ critical
reading skills and provides a view into career possibilities for physician-scientists.
2016 summer class photo
2015 summer class photo
2014 summer class photo
2013 summer class photo
2012 summer class photo
2011 summer class photo
2010 summer class photo
2009 summer class photo
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