ECOS1096 Molecular Evolution: Patterns and Rates (1–2 cr)

Content

Course: Introduction to Molecular Evolution

Contents: At the most fundamental level, biological evolution is changes in frequencies of alternative DNA sequences. In this course, the students will learn the basics concepts of molecular evolution and how molecular data can be used to study phylogenetic relationships between species or lineages, and what kind of patterns natural selection leaves at the molecular level. Students will also learn about variation in the rate of molecular evolution among genes and lineages, and the factors that underlie this variation. The patterns and causes of variation in rates of evolution are the topic of the workshop that follows the course, and there the students have the opportunity to learn most recent advances in this research. The course will consist of lectures and exercises to improve learning outcomes.

The course will be followed by the workshop “Molecular Evolution: Patterns and Causes”, where the students are encouraged to participate.


Workshop: Molecular Evolution: Patterns and Causes
Time, place, venue

The rate of molecular evolution varies at several levels of biological organization, e.g. among sites, among proteins, among chromosomes, and among lineages. The forces underlying this variation include mutation rate and the strength of natural selection, which are in turn affected by e.g. population size, linkage, generation time, gene function, gene expression, pleiotropy, and biophysical properties of gene products (e.g. proteins). While there is a reasonable understanding of these patterns and forces, many questions still remain, and a holistic view of molecular evolution is still somewhat underdeveloped. The aim of this workshop is to bring together leading researchers who study molecular evolution at different scales and from different viewpoints to foster

Completion methods

Obligatory attendance in lectures and exercises

Assessment details

Attendance, exercises, participation.

Credits:1-2 ECTS (2 for those who participate also in the workshop)