University of Bristol

Hosted by a Medical Research Council Unit at the University of Bristol, this course will introduce you to the genomics revolution and how it is changing medicine, from genetic influences on complex disorders and epigenetic regulation, to precision medicine and personal genomics. With genome-wide genetic risk profiles now commercially available to the public for less than £100, the goal is to equip you with the tools you need to understand and interpret this information when you encounter it in everyday practice.

Programme content

The Human Genome

The structure of our genome and the inhabitants of the genomic zoo; how genes are regulated, how genomes vary between people and how DNA sequence relates to epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics.

Genomic Data Science

Understanding human genetics through essential statistical and computational skills that will equip you to interpret genomic data in the laboratory and clinic. Topics include genome-wide association and sequence analysis, genetic risk prediction, data science and bioinformatics, twin and family studies and practical genomics coding skills.

Genomic Medicine

Clinical applications of genomic knowledge, including topics such as clinical genetics of rare disorders, genomics of cardiovascular health and disease, behavioural and psychiatric genomics, cancer genomics, genomic prognosis and precision medicine.

The Population Laboratory

Genomics in human populations, including how they have evolved over evolutionary time, modern-day commercial genomic profiles, genomic self-screening by the public, how

people respond to genomic information, legal and ethical implications of this, and the importance of gene-environment interactions.

Cracking Causality

Using genetic data to discover the environmental causes of disease. Topics include Mendelian randomization and other designs for causal inference, and translation of causal discoveries to new drugs and new policies.

Research Project

A four-month research project based in one of the world-leading applied human genomics

research groups at Bristol.

Entry requirements

You can study a BSc after two or more years of study on your professional programme. Please refer to the admissions statement on our intercalation website for full guidance on how your application will be assessed.

Closing date

The closing date for applications will be advised on the University of Bristol Intercalated degrees website.