Seminars

2008-2009

Monday     1-19-09    

Heidi L. Rehm, PhD, FACMG, Molecular Geneticist
Laboratory for Molecular Medicine
Harvard-Partners Center for Genetics and Genomics
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

"The Evolution and Integration of Personalized Genetic Medicine"

Many advances have been made in the development of molecular techniques and in our understanding of the role of genetics in health and disease. Healthcare is beginning to see the development of personalized approaches to managing care with the goal of providing the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. This talk will discuss several examples of developing and integrating cutting edge genomic technologies into personalized healthcare and will explore what the future holds for further integration of genomics into personalized medicine.



Monday  3-9-09

Victor Ambros, PhD, Silverman Professor of Natural Sciences, UMass Medical School

"MicroRNAs in Animal Development and Disease"

MicroRNAs are small RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, and function in diverse developmental and physiological processes. Some microRNAs are deeply conserved among animal phyla, and are thought to have played important roles in the evolution of animal diversity. Many microRNAs are engaged in genetic regulatory networks fundamental to all cells, and have been implicated in a wide range of human diseases, including cancer, metabolic disorders, and heart disease.