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Doctoral Training

PhD in Public Health with a Concentration in Genomics

USF COPH PhD in Genomics

 

The purpose of Genomics Concentration is to provide PhD students in the College of Public Health with explicit, graduate-level training in genomic data analysis. Students will be exposed to both theoretical and hands-on training in multiple tools relevant to analyzing high-throughput, genomic data types that are increasingly being analyzed across multiple fields of relevance to public health (human population health, infectious disease, environmental health, etc.).

Courses in this concentration are delivered in person; a total of 55 post-master’s degree credits are required, with 12 of the 55 credits comprised of courses specifically required in the Genomics concentration. Upon completion of the requirements of this concentration, students will be able to demonstrate mastery of genomic data analysis; and to understand and apply programming skills in genomic research and big data analysis. 


 

  • Students may rotate through several laboratories before identifying an advisor who is a good fit. These rotations involve hands-on computational work and/or laboratory work, which exposes them to the research areas of each faculty member and supplements the students’ classroom learning experiences.

  • The need for genomic-based data scientists has been growing for more than a decade. Within the context of public health, there is a clear need for computationally proficient, doctoral-level scientists in both local departments of public health as well as in academic settings. For example, PulseNet, a national laboratory network associated with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), recently updated their approach to identifying sources of food-related outbreaks by relying exclusively on Whole Genome/Metagenomic sequencing; however, there is limited expertise at the local level in relation to analyzing such data. Relatedly, the CDC has partnered with the Association of Public Health Laboratories to develop a Bioinformatics Fellowship to train and prepare existing (i.e., already trained) bioinformaticians to apply their expertise within public health. Opportunities also exist for staff scientists trained in genomics in biotechnology and other industry sectors, as well as in research-oriented non-profit entities.

  • To learn more, please contact a Pre-Admissions Advisor at (813) 974-6505 or preadmissions@usf.edu