? Credit Points : 10  ? SCQF Level : 10  ? Acronym : BIO-4-EBpeg

This course will deal with several types of ways that genetic variants can be useful in biology, including evolutionary biology, medicine, agricultural production and conservation biology. We will critically discuss different approaches to analysing this genetic variation. The lectures will cover methods for finding and quantifying genetic variation for various types of markers that are currently important, together with illustrations of their uses. The basic principles of molecular evolution will include analysis of divergence between sequences of different species, phylogenetic tree estimation, the neutral theory of molecular evolution, polymorphism within species, and methods to detect natural selection acting on gene sequences. The principles of using markers in genetic analysis of quantitative characters will include some of the major current issues in this area, including the heritability of human IQ, and will provide concepts needed to understand the genetics of complex human diseases. Finally, the use of pedigree information to study selection in natural populations, including the effects of inbreeding on fitness and the maintenance of genetic diversity, will be covered.

? This course is not available to visting students.

? Pre-requisites : Permission of the Curriculum Approval Officer.

? Costs : Notepads

Home subject area

Genetics, (School of Biological Sciences, Schedule K)

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) 45 minutes per week for 11 weeks

First Class Information

Date Start End Room Area Additional Information 23/09/2008 10:30 11:30 Lecture Room 40, Joseph Black Building KB

All of the following classes

Type Day Start End Area Lecture Tuesday 09:00 09:50 KB Lecture Tuesday 10:00 10:50 KB

Increased understanding of Biological processes. Detailed learning outcomes will be provided later.

Exam - Week 12, Semester 1

Exam times

Diet Diet Month Paper Code Paper Name Length 1ST December 1 - 2 hour(s)

The Course Secretary should be the first point of contact for all enquiries.

Course Secretary

Mrs Pat Dougall
Tel : (0131 6)50 5464
Email : pat.dougall@ed.ac.uk

Course Organiser

Dr Loeske Kruuk
Tel : (0131 6)50 5515
Email : Loeske.Kruuk@ed.ac.uk

School Website : http://www.biology.ed.ac.uk/

College Website : http://www.scieng.ed.ac.uk/