MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & GENETICS CREDIT HOURS 2(2-0)

COURSE DISCRIPTION
This course covers the brief overview of the cellular & molecular biology, membrane
physiology, introduction to molecular medicine and gene therapy, nuclear transplantation, gene
therapy for neurological disorders, gene therapy for musculoskeletal disorders and the concept of
molecular medicine in physical therapy.
This course has been designed to address a more in depth study of biology of inheritance and
inheritance patterns. This course focuses on classical Mendelian genetics, the DNA molecule and
molecular genetics, and population genetics. The course also covers Human genome and
Molecular Pathology.

COURSE CONTENTS
BRIEF REVIEW OF CELLULAR & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
 Structure and Functions of Cell, Nucliec Acid, Chromosomes & Proteins

INTRODUCTION TO MOLECULAR MEDICINE AND GENE THERAPY

 Introduction
 Genetic Manifestations of Molecular Medicine
 Gene Therapy and Patterns of Gene Expression
 Gene Therapy and Molecular Medicine
 Gene Therapy: Current Basic Science Issues
 Human Gene Therapy: Current Status and Basic Science

GENE THERAPY FOR NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS:

 Introduction
 Sorting Out the Complexity of the Nervous System
 What Goes Wrong in Neurological Disorders
 Neurotophic Factors and Gene Therapy
 Neural Transplants and Stem Cells
 Clinical Neurodegenerative Conditions
 Clinical Trials Testing Genetically Modified Cells and Neurotrophic Factors for
Neurodegeneration:
 Stem Cell Therapy in Spinal Cord Injuries
 Future Considerations and Issues

GENE THERAPY FOR MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

 Bone
o Introduction:
o Regulatory Factors in Bone Development and Regeneration:
o Cells for Gene Therapy Strategies Directed Towards Bone Regeneration
o In Vivo& Ex Vivo Gene Therapy Strategies for Bone
o Clinical Trials for Bone Replacement
 Ligament and Tendon:
o Introduction
o Ligament and Tendon Growth Factors
o Cells for Gene Therapy Strategies Directed Towards Ligament Regeneration
o In Vivo &Ex VivoGene Therapy Strategies to Intact Ligament and Tendon
o Gene Therapy Strategies for Lacerated Tendon Repair, promote Osseo-Integration
of Tendon Grafts
o Clinical Trials for Ligament and Tendon Replacement:
 Cartilage:
o Introduction
o Growth Factors and Cytokines for Cartilage Repair and Regeneration
o Cells for Gene Therapy Strategies Directed Towards Cartilage Regeneration
o Gene Delivery Strategies for Cartilage Repair and Regeneration
o Dose Dependency Detected with Cartilage Gene Therapies
o Therapeutic Effects by Transfected Cells on Distal Joints
o Transfected Xenogenic Cells for Cartilage Repair
o Cartilage Tissue Engineering and Gene Therapy
 Intervertebral Disc
o Introduction
o The Biology of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
o Application of Gene Therapy in Intervertebral Disc
o In Vivo& Ex Vivo Gene Therapy Strategies to Intervertebral Disc
o Clinical Trials for Intervertebral Disc
 Muscles
o Introduction
o The Molecular Basis of Myopathies
o In Vivo& Ex Vivo Gene Therapy Strategies in Myopathies
o Clinical Trials in Myopathies
o Gene Therapy: Ethical Issues at the Policy Level

A brief introduction to following topics

 The chemistry of dna
 Dna replication and recombination
 Transcription, translation and protein synthesis
 Cell-based dna cloning
 Nucleic acid hybridization assays:
 Pcr, dna sequencing and in vitro mutagenesis:
 Organization of the human genome:
 Human gene expression:
 Instability of the human genome:
 Mutation and dna repair:
 Physical and transcript mapping:
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
1. Molecular Medicine: Genomics to Personalized Healthcare, 3 rdEdition by R. Trent.
(Published in 2005 by Academic Press).
2. Principles of Molecular Medicine, 2 ndEdition by Marschall S. Runge and Cam Patterson.
(Published in 2006 by Humana Press).
3. Molecular Neuropharmacology: A Foundation for Clinical Neuroscience, 2 nd Edition by
Eric J. Nestler, Steven E. Hyman and Robert C. Malenka. (Published in 2008 by
McGraw-Hill Professional).
4. Molecular Medicine: An Introductory Text, 3rdEdition by R. J. Trent.(Published in 2005
by Academic Press).
5. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 5thEdition by Bruce Alberts, Alexander Johnson, Julian
Lewis, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts and Peter Walter.(Published in 2007 by Garland
Science).
6. Human Molecular Genetics, 3rdEdition by Tom Strachan and Andrew Read. (Published in
2003 by Garland Science/Taylor & Francis Group).
7. Molecular Medicine for Clinicians, 1stEdition by Barry Mendelow, Michele Ramsay,
NanthakumarChettyan and Wendy Stevens.(Published in 2008 by University Press).
8. Molecular Markers, Natural History and Evolution, 2ndEdition by John C. Avise.
(Published in 2004 by Sinauer Associates).
9. “Molecular Pathology: The Molecular Basis of Human Disease, 1 stEdition by William B.
Coleman, and Gregory J. Tsongalis.(Published in 2009 by Academic Press).
10. Additional Study Material as assigned By the tutor.
11. Genetics: A Conceptual Approach, 3rdEdition by Benjamin Pierce (Published in 2007 by
W. H. Freeman).
12. Human Molecular Genetics, 3rdEdition by Tom Strachan and Andrew P Read(Published
in 2003 by Garland Science/Taylor & Francis Group).
13. Genetics-From Genes to Genomes, 3rdEdition by Hartwell, Hood, Goldberg, Reynolds,
Silver andVeres(Published in 2006 by McGraw-Hill).
14. Additional Study Material, as assigned By the tutor.