MEDS 360Current Research Approaches to Biomedical Problems

Prerequisites: BISC 220L or BISC 221L, and CHEM 103 or 105.

Faculty Instructor: Omid Akbari, Ph.D., with guest lecturers from Keck School research faculty

Contact information and Office hours: , 323 442 7930, Thursday 10-12 AM, by appointment, or by e-mail

Blackboard link: TBA

Introduction and purpose:

Because of the striking advances in contemporary biomedical research, students who plan to have a career in this exciting new area will need to access a broader range of concepts and skills. The modern biomedical scientist uses a wide array of advanced techniques, ranging from special measuring instruments, novel imaging systems, computer methods, and quantitative analytical tools and models. Current Research Approaches in Biomedical Science will provide a theoretical foundation of a range of laboratory approaches that help the biomedical or physician scientist to understand a disease. This includes genetic and system biology approaches to understand our immune system in health and disease.

Course Requirements and Grades

  • The student will have free access to the most recent and relevant original reviews and papers in the literature through OVID, as recommended by each lecturer for each session. One review article and one peer-reviewed publication will be required for each lecture. These articles will be updated annually to keep current. Beside those materials a copy of lecture slides will be provided to the students. The course will consist of one meeting each week, which will consist of 2, 50 minute presentations.
  • Attendance is expected as much of the material is lecture-based. While recognizing that there may be illness, personal emergencies or religious holiday observances, unexcused absences may result in a reduced overall course grade. Excused absences for examinations may be obtained for illness, personal emergencies or religious holidays by calling the course director before the date of the absence. Excused absences from exams may be made up.
  • Examinations: will be in short answer, short essay format
  • Midterm Exam: 40% of course grade
  • Final Exam: 60% of course grade
  • Grading Scale:
  • A - 85-100%;
  • B – 75-84%;
  • C – 65-74%;
  • D – 55-64%;
  • F – 0-54%

Class Sessions

Lecture Title / Topics
26 Aug / Introduction to new approaches in biomedical science / Omid Akbari
9 Sept / New approaches to understand our immune system, Flow cytometry / Omid Akbari
16 Sept / Emerging pathogens in a changing world / Pinghui Feng
23 Sept / The Human Ecosystem: Microbiota in Health and Disease / William De Paolo
30 sept / Identification of new targets for therapeutics approaches / Omid Akbari
7 Oct / New approaches to diagnose and treat cancer / Ite Laird--Offringa
14 Oct / New Approaches to understand Stem cells and regenerative Medicine / Gregor Adams
21 Oct / Mid term exam
28 Oct / Genetic approaches to understand diseases / Hooman Allayee
4 Nov / Animal models of disease / Hooman Allayee
11 Nov / bioinformatics / Ha Youn Lee
18 Nov / Epigenetics and human disease / Ite Laird--Offringa
25 Nov / Proteomics in health and disease / Ebi Zandi
2 Dec / System biology: a new perspective in biology / Ha Youn Lee
16 Dec / FINAL EXAM / 2-4 PM

Statement for Students with Disabilities

Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me (or to TA) as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.

Statement on Academic Integrity

USC seeks to maintain an optimal learning environment. General principles of academic honesty include the concept of respect for the intellectual property of others, the expectation that individual work will be submitted unless otherwise allowed by an instructor, and the obligations both to protect one’s own academic work from misuse by others as well as to avoid using another’s work as one’s own. All students are expected to understand and abide by these principles. Scampus, the Student Guidebook, contains the Student Conduct Code in Section 11.00, while the recommended sanctions are located in Appendix A: Students will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards for further review, should there be any suspicion of academic dishonesty. The Review process can be found at:

Emergency Preparedness/Course Continuity:

In case of emergency, and travel to campus is difficult, USC executive leadership will announce an electronic way for instructors to teach students in their residence halls or homes using a combination of Blackboard, teleconferencing, and other technologies. Instructors should be prepared to assign students a "Plan B" project that can be completed at a distance. For additional information about maintaining your classes in an emergency please access:

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