Molecular Biology of Human Disease

The M.D.-Ph.D. Program summer course, Molecular Biology of Human Disease, directed by Dr. Mel Feany, is required of all entering M.D.-Ph.D. students in the basic sciences. 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 M.D.-Ph.D. student body, including the four DMS graduate programs, Harvard Biophysics and MIT Biology.

The course spans five weeks over July and August, meeting Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 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. Feany.

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.