COORDINATOR: R. Mishra / mishrar@mcmaster.ca 

This is a graduate level course outlining the basics of neurochemistry including molecular aspects of synaptic transmission, neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and respective receptors, receptor-secondary messenger coupling, and molecular mechanisms involved in brain disorders.

The goals of this course are to provide graduate students in Neuroscience and Biomedical research programs the familiarity with the molecular principles of neurochemical mechanisms involved in drug action and brain disorders. Students will increase critical thinking skills in the context of specific topics related to synaptic transmission, neuromodulators, and neurotransmitters.

By the end of the course, students should be familiar with the cellular and molecular principles of neuromodulators and neurotransmitter action in the nervous system.

PREREQUISITES: Permission from the Course Coordinator.

METHOD OF PRESENTATION: The classes will be held in person or hybrid, if applicable.

EVALUATION: Achievements of course objectives and individual student grades will be determined from one take-home questions assignment, one in-class presentation, in-class participation and a 2-5 page grant proposal.

Minimum of 4 students, maximum of 12.

CROSS-LISTED: NEUROSCI 705*

COORDINATOR: N. Akhtar-Danesh / daneshn@mcmaster.ca, ext. 22297/22726.

Permission of the course instructor is not required for registration in this course. Please contact the Graduate Officers in the program office with your student number.

This course will introduce statistical techniques in such a way that students will grasp the fundamentals to enable them to gain the confidence to perform their own analysis. It also provides sufficient instruction in areas such as clinical trials and epidemiology to enable them to critically appraise published articles in health science journals. This course will cover all basic statistical concepts and tests and include relevant examples for health science researchers, including case studies and data sets. Specific topics of the course are descriptive statistics, probability distributions, z-test and t-test for comparing the mean values of two continuous variables, one-way and two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc tests, correlation and simple linear regression, analysis of the frequency tables, and some non-parametric tests. Depending on time and the students’ progress and interests, multiple linear regression and logistic regression will be covered. Statistical package of SPSS will be used as the course software for analysis.

METHOD OF PRESENTATION: The course is designed to be presented in a lecture based format with a problem-based discussion component. Each week there will be a data analysis assignment for discussion to help students better understand and apply the concepts.

METHOD OF EVALUATION: The course will be evaluated based on the student’s attendance and participation (15%), three hand in assignments (15% each), a final project (20%), and the presentation of the final project (20%). Each week there will be an assignment; three of them will be handed in by students and graded by the tutor. For each week there will be an assignment; three of them will be handed in by students and graded by the tutor. For each assignment students will be asked to use appropriate statistical techniques to analyse some data-set and interpret the results. For each assignment (the project) consists of two parts: i) a hand in report of at most 10 12 double spaced pages (plus the final computer output), and ii) a class presentation of 10 15 minutes. Students must apply most of the statistical methods discussed in class to the data set.

CROSS-LISTED: NUR 709*

This 2 module course will examine important current research issues in immunology through the discussion of research papers around specific topics and problems in immunology with an emphasis on the critical analysis of immunological studies and the regulation of the immune response. Specifically, the students will examine the use and interpretation of immunological data and common themes in various types of cellular immune responses.

PREREQUISITE: HTH SCI 3I03 plus HTH SCI 4I03 or BIOCHEM 4J03 or Equivalent or Permission of the Course Coordinator.

EVALUATION: The evaluation of students will be based on:

Module 1: Class participation; Written assignment; Oral presentation.

Module 2: Class Participation; Written essay on assigned topic; Formal seminar presentation.

PARTICIPATING FACULTY: Z. XING (Xingz@mcmaster.ca) and Y-H. WAN

Minimum of 3 students, maximum of 9.

This course will examine important current research issues emphasizing immunopathology, through the discussion of research papers concerning specific topics and problems. The emphasis will be on the immune response in disease including issues of: immune-mediated pathology; infection with different types of organisms; issues of regional immunity.

PREREQUISITE: HTH SCI 3I03 and HTH SCI 4II3 or Equivalent or Permission from the Course Coordinator.

METHOD OF PRESENTATION: The format will be small tutorial group discussions of current selected articles for student presentations and discussion.

EVALUATION: The evaluation of students will be based on: Two written assignments (a 5 page grant proposal assignment,  grant critiques on two grant proposals), oral presentation, class participation.

PARTICIPATING FACULTY: includes C. D. RICHARDS, M. STÄMPFLI, M. JORDANA, Z. XING, K. ROSENTHAL, M. CYR, A. AGRO, A. ASHKAR, S. GALLICHAN, E. RATCLIFF

Minimum of 4 students, maximum of 8.

COORDINATOR: Z. XING / xingz@mcmaster.ca

Vaccines and vaccine immunology have become an important sub-discipline of modern biomedical practice and research. It becomes increasingly important to both prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, cancer, autoimmune diseases and allergic diseases. This course is designed to provide graduate students with the basic concepts of current human vaccination programs, methods used to developing various forms of new vaccines, and vaccine immunology.

PREREQUISITE: HTH SCI 3I03 or Biochem 4J03 or Permission from the Course Coordinator.

EVALUATION: The evaluation will be based on class participation, oral presentation, and a written assignment.

PARTICIPATING FACULTY: Y-H WAN, J. BRAMSON AND Z. XING

Maximum of 25 students.

This graduate course will draw on the contribution of several field experts within the Respiratory group at McMaster University, to cover topics on the immunology of airway inflammatory diseases, asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease. This course will include relevant elements of innate and adaptive immune pathways and inflammatory responses, airway physiology, etiology, diagnosis and current biologic treatment strategies.  At the end of this course the students should have a good conceptual understanding of the cell biology of airway inflammatory diseases and the pathological features associated with asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease.

PREREQUISITE: Undergraduate immunology or equivalent course, and permission of course instructor.

METHOD OF PRESENTATION: The format of each lecture will involve an introductory lecture by the facilitator. The students will have received readings that cover most of the material presented in this session.  Following this, there will be a critical appraisal of 3 areas with suggested readings provided, which will be assigned to specific students 1 week earlier. These papers will be recent publications and selected based on the topics outlined in the session details.

EVALUATION: Students will be marked on rotating oral presentations of research articles (20%) as well as contributions to the weekly discussions (20%). A final 10-page grant application (40%) and oral presentation (20%) summarizing the content of the final written essay will also be required.

PARTICIPATING FACULTY INCLUDES: Drs. G. Gauvreau, R. Sehmi, K. Killian, N. Raghavan, T. Ho, M. Doung, M. Mukherjee, J. Koenig, I. Satia, S. Svenningsen and P Nair.

M.Sc. and Ph.D. students; minimum of 6, maximum of 12.

COORDINATOR: P. Kim paul.kim@taari.ca and C. Kretz colin.kretz@taari.ca

The purpose of MS 732* and MS 733* is to provide an understanding of the range of mechanisms, from the gene to the tissue level, involved in hemostasis and thrombosis, and to explore in depth the current concepts of the relation of the development of arterial disease and venous thromboembolism. Each half-course is divided into two modules; each module includes 18 hours of student contact time.

MS 732* will deal with the mechanisms of hemostasis at the molecular and cellular levels, including the pathways of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, and platelet physiology and biochemistry.

MODULE 1 – PLATELET PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY

The first lecture introduces broad concepts in hemostatis and the contributions of proteins and platelets. The module on platelets addresses their functions in both normal and abnormal hemostasis, and examines a variety of topics including:

• Platelet structure, physiology and biochemistry
• Platelet signalling pathways, procoagulant mechanisms and adhesive functions
• Congenital and acquired platelet disorders
• Platelets as targets for antithrombotic therapy

MODULE 2 – BLOOD COAGULATION AND FIBRINOLYSIS

This module provides an overview of hemostasis focusing on coagulation and fibrinolysis. Both normal and abnormal physiology is dicussed. The module spans the spectrum from the basic biochemical mechanisms to the clinical impact of these pathways.

Topics to be covered include:

• Coagulation pathways and their regulation
• Anticoagulant drugs
• Fibrinolytic pathways and their regulation
• Fibrinolytic drugs
• Links between coagulation and fibrinolysis

PREREQUISITE: Permission from a Course Coordinator.

EVALUATION: The evaluation of students will be based on class participation, oral presentations and take-home essays.

Maximum of 10.

COORDINATORS: P. LIAW patricia.liaw@taari.ca

SCHEDULE: TO BE ANNOUNCED

The MS733 graduate course (Vascular Diseases II) focuses on the function of blood and blood vessels under physiological and disease states.  The topics covered include blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, immunothrombosis, venous thrombosis, bleeding disorders, the microcirculation, peripheral artery disease (PAD), animal models, and atherosclerosis.

Course contents:

• The Evolution of Hemostasis
• The Endothelium as an Organ System
• The Microcirculation
• Venous Thromboembolism Overview
• Venous Thromboembolism and Cancer
• Animal models and intravital microscopy
• Vasculogenesis and Angiogenesis
• Atherosclerosis and Diabetes
• Atherosclerosis and Dyslipidemia

PREREQUISITE: Permission from a Course Coordinator.

EVALUATION: The evaluation of students will be based on class participation, 1 oral presentation, and 2 take home essays.

Maximum of 12.

COORDINATOR: DR. M. INMAN / inmanma@mcmaster.ca

A seminar based approach to understanding the principles of respiratory physiology. Initial focus will be on functional anatomy, ventilatory mechanics, alveolar gas exchange, gas transport, cell gas exchange and control of breathing in the normal individual. The focus will then switch to mechanisms by which these processes are disrupted in disease and how this might result in disability or handicap. Classes will involve faculty introductory, interactive sessions and student presentations.

PREREQUISITE: Undergraduate courses in 1) Mechanical Physics; 2) Biochemistry or Cell Biology; 3) Human Physiology; and Permission of the Course Coordinator.

EVALUATION: The evaluation of students will be based on student presentations, class participation, and brief papers.

PARTICIPATING FACULTY: Members of the Division of Respirology and the Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine.

Maximum of 10.

COORDINATOR: M. INMAN / inmanma@mcmaster.ca

To register for the course you need a permission from Dr. Inman (inmanma@mcmaster.ca). Once this is obtained, please forward the permissions to the Graduate Officers in the program office with your student number.

This course addresses the basic principles underlying the “science” of research, as it relates to Health Science. The topics covered in the course include: the philosophy of science, generating hypotheses and specific questions, experimental design, evaluation and validation of measurement techniques, how to “look” at your data, statistical considerations (focusing on the basic concepts behind mean comparisons, correlation and regression), displaying your data, interpreting your data appropriately, communicating your data to others. The course will involve 12 sessions. Readings will prepare students for each session, which will involve about 50% didactic presentation and 50% discussion of relevant examples or cases — often from the students’ own work.

This half-course is designed to allow students to tailor their learning by selecting specific topics in Medical Sciences relevant to their thesis research and do advanced work in this area. A student will identify a topic and, in consultation with a faculty member with expertise in the area, a course outline will be developed that is tailor-made to meet the student’s particular requirement. The student will then study under the guidance of a faculty member and examine the pertinent literature critically. This course may be taken only once during the student’s graduate studies.