More than two years in development, the course, Genomics and Public Health Policy: Issues and Trends was targeted to OMPH (Oregon Masters of Public Health) students, but also open to selected post-baccalaureate and graduate students in the health sciences at Oregon Health and Science University, Portland State University, and Oregon State University, and members of the public health workforce.

The course was designed to help students understand how systems work instead of how the isolated genes make things happen on their own, to seek to understand genetic factors that contribute to individual and group variation in disease risk, and to translate that knowledge into actions and practice reflect in the core functions of public health.

The course featured asynchronous critically reflective Weblog discussions of assigned primary research papers in genomic science, ethics and policy, and genomics forums with genomic researchers, bioethicists, and policy makers. Shaping Public Health Policy in the Age of Genomics: A Legislative Briefing Book was prepared by the students in this course.