PhD course in Genetics of Reproduction
Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen
This course is free of charge for PhD students at Danish universities (except Copenhagen Business School), and for PhD Students from NorDoc member faculties. All other participants must pay the course fee.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at a Danish university, you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. This also applies to PhD students from NorDoc member faculties. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
Learning objectives
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:
1. Knowledge about basic genetic concepts, techniques and analyses
2. Understand genetic aspects of fetal and pubertal development
3. Understand genetic aspects of male infertility and spermatogenesis
4. Understand how genetics can influence the embryo and the offspring, including pregnancy loss and prenatal diagnosis
5. Understand evolutionary aspects of reproduction
Content
The objective is to present an update on the current knowledge of genetics in relation to reproduction. The course will start by introducing basic concepts within genetics and the complex analyses of genetic data. We will use this basis to update students on the current knowledge of how genetic variation affects male and female reproduction. Finally, we put this knowledge into an evolutionary perspective focusing on the genetic makup of the fetus, the sex chromosomes and offspring health.
Participants
There are no specific requirements, but students should preferably have an interest in either genetics and/or reproduction.
Relevance to graduate programmes
The course is relevant to PhD students from the following graduate programmes at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH:
Life Cycle in Medicine
Cellular and Genetic Medicine
Molecular Mechanisms of Disease
Language
English
Form
Lectures, quiz, and discussions. We will ask speakers to list some questions, which we will use for a quiz during each day (in total ~30 questions). In class, we will go through the answers which hopefully will facilitate some discussion. Finally, each speaker is asked to provide 1 paper relevant for his/her presentation (in total 20 papers), which should be read by students as preparation for the course.
Course director
Kristian Almstrup, Associate Professor, Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshpsitalet / Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Copenhagen. e-mail: kristian.almstrup@regionh.dk
TENTATIVE PROGRAM
Monday, November 17
Basic Genetic understanding
9-9.25: Maris Laan, University of Tartu, Estonia: A general introduction to genetics
Fetal
9.25-9.45: Laura Sønderberg Roos, Rigshospitalet. Pre-implantation genetic testing
9.45-10.10: Terje Svingen, Danish Technical University: Fetal gonadal development
10.10-10.35: Katharina Main, Rigshospitalet: Disorders of Sex Development (DSD)
10.35-11 Pause
Puberty
11.00-11.20: Casper Hagen, Rigshospitalet: Pubertal development
11.10-11.35: Alexander Busch, University of Münster, Germany: Genetics of puberty
11.35-11.45: Quiz
11.45-12.15: Frokost
Male
12.15-12.35: Lise Aksgæde, Rigshospitalet: Clinical andrology
12.35-12.55: Sofia Winge, Rigshospitalet: Klinefelter syndrome
12.55-13.20: Maris Laan, University of Tartu, Estonia: Genetics and male infertility
13.20-13.45: Miguel J. Xavier, Newcastle University, UK: De novo mutations and spermatogenesis
13.45-14.05: Pause
Female
14.05-14.25: Anette Tønnes, Rigshospitalet: Menopause
14.25-14.50: Jenny Gruhn, UCPH: Female meiosis and aneuploidies
14.50-15.15: John Perry/Anna Murray/Kate Ruth (UK): GWAS of menopause/reproductive aging
15.15-15.30: Quiz
Tuesday November 18
Couples
9-9.25: Henriette Svarre/Sofie Bildal, Hvidovre Hospital: COPL pregnancy loss cohort
9.25-9.50: David Westergaard, Danish Technical University: GWAS of postpartum hemorrhage
9.50-10: Quiz
10-10.20: Pause
Evolutionary aspects
10.20-10.50: Mikkel Schierup, Aarhus University: Recombination events in primates
10.50-11.20: Meritxell Riera, Aarhus University: Testicular scRNAseq and selective sweeps
11.20-11.50: Hakon Jonsson, DeCode genetics, Island: De novo mutations and fetal losses
11.50-12.20: Frokost
12.20-13: Alex Cagan/Raheleh Rabari, Sanger Insitute, UK: Mutational landscape of the germline
13-13.30: Eva Hoffmann, UCPH: Mutations in the germline and embryos
13.30-14: ExamQ and evaluation
Dates
November 17-18
Course location
Panum or Rigshospitalet
Registration
Please register before October 15
Seats to PhD students from other Danish universities will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules.
Applications from other participants will be considered after the last day of enrolment.
Note: All applicants are asked to submit invoice details in case of no-show, late cancellation or obligation to pay the course fee (typically non-PhD students). If you are a PhD student, your participation in the course must be in agreement with your principal supervisor.