E-learning training modules

1. E-learning training modules related to Genomic Medicine topics, such as: Personalised Medicine, Economics and Health Technology Assessment in Genomics, Nutrigenomics, bioinformatics.

These modules are provided in English, as well as in local languages, where applicable. They are available every trimester and are designed for healthcare professionals and biomedical scientists, who wish to enrich their knowledge on these emerging disciplines and lead to academic Certificates. 

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The following e-learning training modules are currently available:

Health Economics in Personalised Medicine

Health Economics in Personalised Medicine

Course overview

This e-learning course touches upon the use of health economics in Personalized Medicine. The course begins with the description of the international environment and the basic economic issues which need to be tackled from health economics. Then, an introduction to the notions of human genetics and genomics, Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine is provided, along with their applications, in relation to health economics.

The course continuous with an introduction to health economics, providing and analyzing some aspects of health economics and its relation to the economic science. The course also discusses the decision criteria based on the cost-utility analysis, from which the final decision to adopt or reject a new technology, new therapy, or innovative drug, is derived. In addition, the various ways of assessing the quality of life in cost-utility analysis and utility estimation methods. This section ends with the summary of the disadvantages and the assumptions of the cost-utility analysis. The notion of pricing and reimbursement is also addressed in this course and the means of performing this analysis in different countries, always related to Personalized Medicine. Most importantly,the step-by-step methodology of the economic evaluation is outlined, combined with examples of application in medical practice. In particular, the methodology includes an introduction to the method of economic evaluation, the various aspects of cost-effectiveness analysis with regard to alternative approaches, accompanied by specific examples in medical practice, the appropriate measure of cost-effectiveness analysis and the evaluation criteria that are used in health. In this course, the principles of economic analysis in personalized medicine are thoroughly analyzed, particularly the various economic models used in personalized medicine, both in prospective and in retrospective studies. Finally, the challenges of the economic assessment in the field of personalized medicine and the future perspectives of this discipline are summarized.

Course duration: 3 months

Table of contents

1.The International economic environment

2.Introduction to genomics

3. Introduction to health economics

4. Analyse the aspects of demand in health economics

5.The notion of supply in health economics

6.Stakeholders and decision-making in the healthcare

7.Price and Reimbursement

8. Assessing cost-effectiveness of Personalised Medicine

9. Cost-effectiveness analysis: Determining the cost items

10. Cost-effectiveness analysis: Measuring the effectiveness

11. Conclusion and future perspective

Evaluation

The overall evaluation of the students will be based on the assessment of a task that will be related to the topics discussed in this course. 

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Economic Evaluation in Genomic Medicine

Economic evaluation in Genomic Medicine

Course overview 

The first section provides the definition of economic evaluation in health services and its relation to the economic science. It also discusses whether or not personalized medicine can coexist with the economic evaluation, what are the points that they intersect and why it is necessary to make economic assessments. At the same time, the methodology of the economic evaluation is outlined combined with examples of application in medical practice. In particular, the methodology includes an introduction to the method of economic evaluation, the various aspects of cost-effectiveness analysis with regard to alternative approaches, accompanied by specific examples in medical practice, the appropriate measure of cost-effectiveness analysis and the evaluation criteria that are used in health.

The second section discusses the decision criteria based on the cost-effectiveness analysis, from which the final decision to adopt or reject new technology, new therapy, or innovative drug, is derived. In addition, there are various ways of assessing the quality of life in cost-utility analysis and utility estimation methods. This section ends with the summary of the disadvantages and the assumptions of the cost-utility analysis.

In the third section, the most important technical issues related to the economic evaluation are summarized. In particular, the definition of the willingness to pay (λ) and how it is calculated in different countries is presented, along with the different types of economic models and their use as practical tools for making and implementing political decisions.

In the fourth and final section, the principles of economic analysis in personalized medicine are thoroughly analyzed. In particular, the various economic models used in personalized medicine are presented, both in prospective and in retrospective studies. Also, reference is made to the concept of measurable efficacy in personalized medicine, while detailed examples and standard economic assessment studies in pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine are discussed. Finally, the challenges of the economic assessment in the field of personalized medicine and the future perspectives of this discipline are summarized.

Duration: 3 months

Table of contents

Chapter 1 – Introduction to health economics (Economic science, the framework for the application of economic assessment in healthcare services.) 

Chapter 2 – Introduction to Precision Medicine (Introduction to human genetics and genomics. The concept of precision medicine, applications of Pharmacogenomics and genomics into health economics.)

Chapter 3 – Introduction to economic evaluation. (Genomics into health economics, systematic Review for economic evaluations in Genomic Medicine)

Chapter 4 – Decision criteria based on cost-effectiveness analysis. The final decision to adopt or reject a new technology, new therapy or innovative drug.

Chapter 5 – Assessing the quality of life in cost-utility analysis and utility estimation methods. Issues in cost-utility analysis.

Chapter 6 – Important technical issues in the economic evaluation. The value of λ in different countries. How much does it cost a year of life?

Chapter 7 – Cost estimation in economic studies. Sensitivity analysis.

Chapter 8 – Economic analysis and economic models in personalized medicine.

Chapter 9 – Measurable effectiveness in personalized medicine. Examples of economic evaluation in personalized medicine.

Chapter 10 – Price and reimbursement.

Chapter 11 – Challenges of economic evaluation in the field of personalized medicine. Conclusions and future prospects. 

Evaluation

The overall evaluation of the students will be based on the assessment of a task that will be related to the topics discussed in this course.  

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Pharmacogenomics in Clinical Care and Drug Discovery

Pharmacogenomics in clinical care and drug discovery

Course overview

Pharmacogenomics is the cornerstone of Genomic and Precision Medicine, aiming to redefine disease management and patient stratification. As such, pharmacogenomic testing becomes fundamental to the development and clinical use of several molecular diagnostics as well as targeted therapies. Notwithstanding, there are still barriers (scientific, economic, educational, ethical, legal) that need to be overcome prior to the application of pharmacogenomic technologies towards innovative clinical strategies and optimized therapeutic outcomes. For this to be achieved, continued research as well as the participation of all involved stakeholders becomes critical. This course aims to summarize the current knowledge on how the discipline of genetics and genomics can influence drug discovery and development, and more broadly to the practice of health care.

The first part of the course includes an introduction to the discipline of Pharmacogenomics, accompanied by an historical perspective. This part also refers to the analytical methods used in pharmacogenomic testing.

The second part of the course includes examples from the clinical applications of pharmacogenomics. In particular, examples of use cases in oncology, cardiology, psychiatry, infectious diseases, transplantation, etc are discussed, focusing in particular on the corresponding drug-gene-pharmacogenomic biomarker combinations, focusing in particular on the required dose adjustements.

The third part of the course discusses the impact of population differences in the prevalence of pharmacogenomic biomarkers and their role in population pharmacogenomics. It also alludes to the complex phenotypes and rare drug outcomes resulting from rare pharmacogenomic variants. Lastly, this part summarizes the various regulatory aspects of pharmacogenomics and their role in drug development.

The fourth part of this course provides an outline of databases and other useful resources for Pharmacogenomics, such as the PharmGKB knowledgebase, etc. It also discusses the various new trends in the pharmacogenomics field, such as pharmacometabolomics-aided pharmacogenomics and the application of whole genome sequencing in pharmacogenomics.

The fifth and final part of the course is dedicated to the various ethical aspects of pharmacogenomics and the implications of the accompanying pharmacogenomics-related legislation. Lastly, this part discusses the role and impact of Pharmacogenomics on public health.

Duration: 3 months

Table of contents 

1. Introduction and history of Pharmacogenomics

2. Analytical methods in Pharmacogenomics

3. Pharmacogenomics in clinical settings – Oncology

4. Pharmacogenomics in clinical settings – Cardiology

5. Pharmacogenomics in clinical settings – Psychiatry and Infectious diseases

6. Population differences and complex phenotypes in pharmacogenomics

7. Regulatory aspects of pharmacogenomics and its role in drug development

8. Useful resources for Pharmacogenomics

9. New trends in Pharmacogenomics

9.1. Pharmacometabolomics-aided pharmacogenomics

9.2. Pharmacogenomics and whole genome sequencing

10. Ethical aspects of pharmacogenomics and implications

10.1. Pharmacogenomics legislation

10.2. Secondary information

11. Public Health Pharmacogenomics

12. Conclusions and future perspectives

Evaluation

The overall evaluation of the students will be based on the assessment of a task that will be related to the topics discussed in this course. 

  Express your interest

On-site training courses

On-site training courses in Human Genome Informatics are provided on a regular basis in London and aim to provide hands-on experience in basic aspects of human genome informatics. The next available on-site training course is scheduled for March 2nd, 2018 (please see below).  

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Webinar Bioinformatics

Friday 12th of June 2020

This webinar is designed to introduce undergraduate and graduate-level students in health sciences or related fields to the field of bioinformatics and health informatics, as well as demonstrate the opportunities that come with the available big data for research and industry. The final section of the webinar provides an overview of next-generation sequencing technologies and their application in personalised medicine, whilst also allowing interaction with the participants in the form of Q&A.