The Yeast Genetics and Genomics Course serves a critical role in the training of investigators new to the use of baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) for biological research. Yeast has long been, and continues to be, an outstanding organism for many different types of studies, ranging from basic research on genetics and cell biology to applied research on biotechnological, pharmaceutical, or industrial uses. The highly intensive three-week course is attractive to researchers, as it offers an opportunity to become proficient in the fundamentals of yeast genetics and state-of-the-art uses of this important organism. The broader impact of the course is the training of researchers in the most up-to-date experimental and computational resources and tools available for biological research in the yeast model. Students in the course are diverse, ranging from graduate students to professors, with backgrounds in genetics, molecular and cellular biology, bioinformatics, engineering, and physics. The diversity of their backgrounds and their exposure to a wide range of experimental approaches during the course increases the chances that they will go on to carry out the interdisciplinary research that is vital for meeting today's global challenges.
The course includes laboratory experiments that are broken into twelve multi-part sections that cover a variety of topics including, fundamentals of working with yeast, classical genetics and related topics in cell biology, introduction to yeast molecular and cell biology, genetic and physical interaction analysis, and genomics. The experimental portion of the course is complemented by daily theoretical lectures by instructors chosen for their proven expertise in the system and by a world-class seminar series from renowned investigators that utilize the yeast system. Although the overall organization of the course remains the same from year to year, changes in content are introduced as yeast biology and genomics advances; novel technologies and approaches are incorporated into the curriculum, in part by the recruitment of new instructors. However, because at least two instructors remain from year to year, this evolution does not come at the sacrifice of continuity. The course enrolls 16 students per year, who are chosen from a large pool of applicants using criteria that emphasize need, diversity, and commitment to broadly disseminate information acquired in the course. Many of the students are likely to have educational and supervisory responsibilities in the near future; others are already professors or post-doctoral fellows who will immediately pass on what they have learned in the course. In recent years, there has been a good balance of female and male students, and several under-represented minority students have participated. The course is advertised widely and specific contacts are made to institutional programs that facilitate recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups in the life sciences. Periodically, the experimental protocols and associated materials are published in the form of a laboratory manual, and reach a wider audience through that mechanism.
