BIO421 Population Genetics and Molecular Evolution

Topics: Genetic Variation, The Hardy-Weinberg Principle, Recombination, Linkage and Disequilibrium, Basic Models for Natural Selection, Mutation, Genetic Drift, Inbreeding, Nonrandom Mating, Population Subdivision and Gene Flow, Molecular Population Genetics, Molecular Evolution, Phylogenetics, Advanced Models for Natural Selection, Quantitative Genetics.

Knowledge: Students will

• acquire a thorough understanding of population genetics
• be able to describe effects of population genetic forces on evolution and how it can be detected in molecular data
• understand the dynamics of the evolutionary changes that happen at the molecular level
• be able to explain the evolutionary forces and the evolutionary effects of different molecular mechanisms on genomes, genes and gene products
• gain theoretical insight in methods used in comparative and phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data

SKILLS: Students will be able to

• test for the effects of evolutionary forces affecting allele and gene frequencies
• use a critical approach towards the interpretation of population genetic and evolutionary molecular data
• understand cutting edge research articles on the subject

GENERAL COMPETENCES:

Students will acquire

• practical skills in methods used in comparative and phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data
• understanding of the dynamics resulting in evolutionary changes in allele and genotype frequencies