Courses Taught by Erica Jansen
NUTR590: Epigenetics and the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
- Graduate level
- Online MPH only
- This is a first year course for Online students
- Spring-Summer term(s) for online MPH students;
- 2 credit hour(s) for online MPH students;
- Instructor(s): Dana Dolinoy, Erica Jansen, (Online MPH);
- Prerequisites: None
- Advisory Prerequisites: Introduction to Epidemiology, college-level biology, genetics or biochemistry
- Description: In the first part of the course, we will consider how physical growth and maturation from conception through adolescence predict current and later health risk (i.e. the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis, or DOHaD). In the second part of the course, we will learn about one of the potential mechanisms underlying the DOHaD hypothesis, which is that early life experiences affect our epigenome - the collection of molecular markers that control our genes' expression. The last portion of the course will culminate in a project that ties part 1 and 2 together. Specifically, you will design an ideal study that incorporates your acquired knowledge on growth assessment and epigenetic methods.
- Learning Objectives: 1- Use the DOHaD framework to explain how early environments can predict later disease 2- Apply life stage-specific tools to assess growth and development 3- Use nutritional epidemiology perspectives to interpret DOHaD findings 4- Design studies to analyze the role of nutrition in altering growth and development during sensitive periods 5- Define key epigenetic mechanisms and biological phenomena 6- Examine how dietary and environmental factors influence epigenetic mechanisms to affect health status 7 Critically assess epigenetic research in the primary literature 8 Explain the complexity of incorporating epigenetics into population health 9 Articulate potential ethical, policy, and risk assessment ramifications


Department | Program | Degree | Competency | Specific course(s) that allow assessment | Population and Health Sciences | MPH | Estimate population health indicators from high quality data resources from diverse sources | PUBHLTH515, EPID643, NUTR590, BIOSTAT592, BIOSTAT501 |
---|
NUTR701: Research Methods in Nutritional Sciences
- Graduate level
- Residential
- Winter term(s) for residential students;
- 2 credit hour(s) for residential students;
- Instructor(s): Ana Baylin, Edward Ruiz-Narvaez, Erica Jansen, (Residential);
- Prerequisites: None
- Advisory Prerequisites: None
- Description: This course is designed to introduce research methods to 1st year MS and PhD students. Overall, the course will help students engage on their individual research journey. Students should be prepared to discuss research ideas for further development throughout the course. We will discuss the typical format of reported research, including how and why each section is constructed. We will discuss strategies for conducting a review of the literature that clarifies what is known and unknown about their topic. The course will conclude by allowing students to develop their own research proposals, engage in the process of peer review, and present their final proposals to the class.
- Learning Objectives: 1. Develop a framework for understanding nutrition and public health research 2. Critically evaluate nutrition research 3. Formulate a scientific research question and relevant hypotheses for a given topic 4. Conduct a review of the literature 5. Understand the components of a research manuscript and styles of scientific writing 6. Practice the art of peer review and providing constructive feedback 7. Develop the major components of a research proposal



NUTR869: Innovations in Nutrition Research
- Graduate level
- Residential
- Fall, Winter term(s) for residential students;
- 1 credit hour(s) for residential students;
- Instructor(s): Erica Jansen, Edward Ruiz-Narvaez, (Residential);
- Prerequisites: Doctoral, MPH and MS student with demonstrated interest in Nutritional Sciences research (with permission),Doctoral, MPH and MS student with demonstrated interest in Nutritional Sciences research (with permission)
- Description: The course will include: -integrative discussions of dissertation research projects -presentations of research findings -in-depth literature reviews and critiques -manuscript reviews in Nutritional Sciences


Department | Program | Degree | Competency | Specific course(s) that allow assessment | NUTR | Molecular and Biochemical Nutrition | PhD | Disseminate rigorous research findings through clear, persuasive written and oral communication to both peers and non-technical audiences | NUTR869 | NUTR | Nutritional Interventions | PhD | Disseminate rigorous research findings through clear, persuasive written and oral communication to both peers and non-technical audiences | NUTR869 |
---|