Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics

Subject 652-301 (2009)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2009. Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 3 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

Semester 1, - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: Three 1-hour lectures per week. Total 36 hours.
Total Time Commitment: 120 hours total time commitment.
Prerequisites:

Principles of Genetics and Genes and Genomes

Bachelor of Biomedicine students: Principles of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biomedicine

Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements: It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable steps will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact upon their active and safe participation in a subject are encouraged to discuss this with the relevant subject coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.

Coordinator

Dr Charles Robin
Subject Overview:

The emphasis of this subject is on understanding how evolutionary forces shape the gene pool, on the use of molecular markers in genome mapping, in dissecting polygenic traits by mapping quantitative trait loci, and in other applications such as phylogenetics and conservation biology. The topics covered will be classical population genetics, the impact of natural selection, processes of speciation, conservation genetics, evolution of development, phylogenetic reconstruction, development of saturated linkage maps, physical mapping of genomes, mapping quantitative trait loci, comparative genomics, functional genomics and high-throughout methods of scoring genetic polymorphisms.

Objectives:

Upon completion of this subject, students should have: understood how genes, gene pools, and genomes change through evolutionary time; acquired an up-to-date understanding of the relationship between molecular genetics and evolutionary biology; developed a capacity to critically review the written literature and to access web-based databases of genomic information; understood how genes, gene pools and genomes change through evolutionary time; developed a critical appreciation for the methods used to detect and quantify the major evolutionary forces; comprehended the logic used in inferring evolutionary processes from patterns of genetic variation in space and time; and appreciated the connections between evolution and conservation biology, development and phylogenetics.

Assessment: A written class test during semester (20%); three assignments of not more than 500 words each due during the semester (30% in total); a 2-hour written examination in the examination period (50%)
Prescribed Texts: None
Breadth Options:

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

Completion of this subject is expected to enhance the generic skills of a student in: the ability to understand how complex new scientific data is acquired and applied to old and new problems in biology; the ability to read complex literature and be able to interpret this in order to answer detailed questions on both theory and methodology; an appreciation for how modern science is informed by cross-disciplinary studies leading to applications in agriculture, industry and human biology; the ability to use information technology to acquire relevant knowledge; the statistical analysis of data.

Notes:

Students enrolled in the BSc (pre-2008 BSc), BASc or a combined BSc course will receive science credit for the completion of this subject.

Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics was 652-301 Genomes and Evolution (prior to 2009).

Related Course(s): Bachelor of Biomedical Science
Graduate Diploma in Biotechnology
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Biotechnology
Genetics

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