Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics

Subject GENE30001 (2015)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2015.

Credit Points: 12.5
Level: 3 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Semester 1, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period 02-Mar-2015 to 31-May-2015
Assessment Period End 26-Jun-2015
Last date to Self-Enrol 13-Mar-2015
Census Date 31-Mar-2015
Last date to Withdraw without fail 08-May-2015


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 3 x one hour lectures per week.
Total Time Commitment:

Estimated total time commitment of 170 hours

Prerequisites:

Both

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Semester 2
12.50

Bachelor of Biomedicine students:

Both

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Dr Charles Robin

Contact

Email: crobin@unimelb.edu.au

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.

Learning Outcomes:

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:

This subject is available for science credit to students enrolled in the BSc (both pre-2008 and new degrees), BASc or a combined BSc course.

This subject is available for credit in the Bachelor of Biomedicine.

Previously known as 652-301 Genomes and Evolution (prior to 2009).

This subject is required for a Genetics major.

Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Biotechnology (pre-2008 Bachelor of Science)
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Genetics
Genetics
Genetics
Genetics
Genetics
Microbiology
Molecular Biotechnology (specialisation of Biotechnology major)
Plant Cell Biology and Development (specialisation of Cell and Developmental Biology major)
Science-credited subjects - new generation B-SCI and B-ENG.
Selective subjects for B-BMED
Related Breadth Track(s): General Genetics

Download PDF version.