An integrated curriculum that supports genomic data education - the goal of this project is to build a genomic data science educational program in the biology department at spelman college

Spelman College received a Cooperative Agreement award of $160,186 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of the Director under the Trans-NIH Research Support program (CFDA 93.310), effective September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2028. The award funds the development and implementation of an integrated genomic data science curriculum within the Biology Department. The deliverables include the creation of genomic data science modules integrated across multiple courses—a sophomore-level introductory biology course, two intermediate-level courses, and an upper-level research-based course—designed to expose all biology majors to concepts and skills in genomic data science while leveraging publicly available computational resources and databases.

The curriculum will contextualize genomic data science tools and resources through biomedical applications ranging from cancer to microbiomes, with the upper-level research course providing hands-on experiences and facilitating engagement with external genomic data science communities. A working group of five faculty members and a technician/teaching assistant will collaborate to deliver the enhanced curriculum, ultimately creating a pathway for Spelman students to pursue graduate studies and careers in genomic data science. This initiative addresses the unique challenges of integrating interdisciplinary genomic data science education into a non-research-intensive liberal arts setting while building institutional capacity in this emerging field.

This will be achieved through the development of genomic data science modules in several courses. These include a sophomore level introductory biology course taken by all majors, two intermediate level courses and an upper-level research-based course. These curricular enhancements will expose students to concepts and skills in genomic data science, while leveraging publicly available computational resources and databases. The enhanced curriculum will expose students to the use of genomic data science concepts, tools and resources in the context of several biomedical questions ranging from cancer to microbiomes. In addition, the research-based course will provide hands-on experiences and serve as a space for engaging with the hub institution and the wider genomic data science community. Ultimately, the goal of the curricular enhancement is to create a path for spelman students to enter graduate studies and careers in genomic data science. While spelman college has a strong track record in training undergraduate students in stem fields, the interdisciplinary nature of genomic data science and our non-research intensive setting present challenges that require a deliberate and concerted effort. To this end, the project brings together five faculty members and a technician/teaching assistant who will form a working group or community of practice, leveraging each other's strength and expertise in specific areas.