PATH 300 Human Disease (3 credits)
**All students are required to take this advanced undergraduate course plus a course in biostatistics if they have not completed these requirements before admission into the program**
The study of human disease, with emphasis on the disorders currently prevalent in North America. Cell injury, inflammation, healing, infection, immune responses, lifestyle and aging, neoplasia, disorders of the major organ systems.
PATH396 Undergraduate Research Project in Pathology (3 credits)
This course will link a qualified McGill student to a research laboratory for the selected term. For a duration of 12-13 weeks (about 120 hours in total), gaining experience from literature review through hypothesis-testing to writing up the final report, the student will access an invaluable experience in biomedical research, get to know one or more professors, and enjoy the dynamics of being in a research team. The goal of this course is to help an enthusiastic undergraduate student in planning a future career.
PATH 504 DISEASE IN DEPTH (3 credits)
Professor. C. Telleria
PATH 504 offers an in-depth examination of current knowledge on the fundamental abnormalities that cause disease. It is focused on mechanisms controlling the cellular life cycle and how these mechanisms are altered in common diseases, including cancer, infections, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and immune disorders. Among the cell fate paradigms addressed are cell mass, growth, lineage, differentiation, the division cycle, stem cells and the stem cell niche, cellular senescence, cell death modalities, and the cancer cell. Basic understanding of present knowledge is complemented by an explanation of current research techniques and what we might expect in the near future. The course is oriented toward graduate students and undergraduates who are interested in biomedical research; PATH 300 is a required prerequisite.
PATH 613 Research Topics in Pathology 1 (3 credits)
PATH 614 Research Topics in Pathology 2 (3 credits)
These courses consists of a series of lectures and discussions presenting recent developments in many fields of research that are relevant to the study of disease, and a different major theme is chosen each year (e.g. climate change and disease). Speakers may include graduate students, international experts visiting McGill, as well as members of the Pathology Department and other biomedical disciplines within the University. Students will be evaluated on their ability to organize and deliver a lecture, on their participation during lectures delivered by others, and through submission of major term papers summarizing research topics presented. The course is given on Monday afternoons in the Winter semester in the Duff Medical Building.
PATH 620 Research Seminar 1 (3 credits)
During the first year of the Ph.D. program (no later than nine months after registration), the student must give an oral presentation of 30-45 minutes duration to the Graduate Students Committee and other members of the Department, describing the research project that will be carried out to fulfill the thesis requirement for the degree. No experimental results are necessary at this stage. The student must demonstrate familiarity with the relevant literature, explain the significance of the proposed project, and present in some detail the methods and experimental design that will be used. The facilities available for such work must be indicated, and equipment and technical expertise must be adequate to permit estimated completion of the work within the time recommended by Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (Ph.D. 3-4 years). A 350 word abstract must be submitted to the Teaching Office one week in advance. Written evaluations of the student's performance are submitted by the research director(s), advisors and all members of the Graduate Students Committee, and form the basis for the grade assigned.
PATH 622 Research Seminar 2 (3 credits)
During the second year of graduate studies, the student must deliver a standard scientific seminar of 50-60 minutes duration to all members of the Department of Pathology, plus interested colleagues from other disciplines. Ph.D. candidates are expected to report on a significant portion of experimental research, describe experiments in progress and outline the additional studies needed to complete the project. A 500 word abstract must be submitted to the Teaching Office one week prior to the seminar. Written evaluations of the student's performance by the research director(s), advisors and all members of the Graduate Students Committee will form the basis for the grade assigned.
PATH 607 Biochemical Pathology (3 credits)
Professor M. Divangahi
Immuno-Pathogenesis of Human Disease: Lectures and seminars covering a range of topics in the field of cytokine biology, the role of cytokines in disease pathogenesis and advanced molecular techniques in the expression and regulation of cytokines. The course will address the critical role of immune-regulatory mechanisms (cellular/molecular) for maintaining the balance between immune-protective and immune-driven pathology as well as its potential consequences on systemic pathology (tissue and organ damage/functional alterations). This course will emphasize the etiology, immunity, and pathology of several major infectious diseases causes by bacteria (e.g. Tuberculosis), viruses (e.g. AIDS), parasites (e.g. Malaria), as well as non-infectious driven diseases (e.g. Asthma). The overall aim of the course is to provide the student an integrative systematic approach for understanding disease and rationale for designing an effective therapeutic approach.
PATH 652 Molecular Biology of Disease (3 credits)
Professor C. Baglole
Environmental toxicants: Seminars and discussions led by experts in their respective fields will focus on cellular mechanisms by which environmental toxicants contribute to human diseases. The molecular biology of cardiovascular, respiratory, immunological and other disorders as well as various cancers will be examined in relation to toxicant exposures such as air pollution, endocrine disruptors, chlorine, dioxins, phthalates, arsenic and cigarette smoke. Mechanisms of action will be related to the broader impact of environmental exposures on humans.
PATH 700 Comprehensive Examination - Ph.D. Candidates
The examination is conducted to verify that the Ph.D. candidate can achieve the three major goals of the graduate studies training program, namely the ability to carry out independent research, the acquisition of a sufficient base of fundamental knowledge, and the ability to effectively communicate. This examination should be scheduled when a major portion of the research work is completed and preferably before much of the thesis is written. The student will present an initial seminar on the thesis research of 30-40 minutes duration. (An abstract not exceeding two single spaced pages in length must be delivered to the Teaching Office one week in advance). The examiners will then question the student on the research and its relationship to current scientific knowledge in relevant areas. If the extent of research or the candidate's knowledge or ability to communicate are found to be inadequate, the examiners will recommend specific measures to be followed to remedy the deficiency. In some cases, the examiners may recommend that the candidate repeat the examination at a later date, after additional progress has been made. The entire procedure should be viewed as a positive experience, with the combined expertise of the examiners being used for the benefit of the candidate. Examiners: Professor E. Zorychta plus four members of the Faculty