Postgraduate Course: Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics (PGBI11115)
Course Outline
| School | School of Biological Sciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | The course covers phylogeny reconstruction, applications of phylogeny, and computational comparison and evolution of genomes. Lectures are supplemented by computer-based practical classes, online exercises and an in-course assessment. |
| Course description |
Detailed Programme
Week 1. Basic phylogenetics. Constructing phylogenies using algorithms; optimization methods; heuristic tree searching; estimating statistical support for trees; summarizing trees; computer-based practical class.
Week 2. Models of molecular evolution. Genetic distance; nucleotide, protein and codon substitution models; computer-based practical class.
Week 3. Advanced phylogenetics. Maximum likelihood phylogeny reconstruction; testing hypotheses using likelihood; model selection.
Week 4. Bayesian phylogenetics. Bayesian phylogenetic inference; Markov chain Monte Carlo; summarising the posterior distribution; computer-based practical class.
Week 5. Predicting gene/protein families across species from genome-wide protein sets. Lecture on concepts and algorithms. Computer-based practical class.
Week 6. Reconciling gene and species trees. Lecture on concepts and algorithms; computer-based practical class. Coursework assignment set.
Week 7. Homology - orthologs, paralogs and xenologs, including sub-types of paralog and xenolog. Lecture on concepts and case-studies; computer-based practical class.
Week 8. rDNA variation and evolution. Guest lecturer (from Quadram Institute Bioscience). Lecture and computer-based practical class.
Week 9. Q&A tutorial. Students can raise questions about coursework, course content and exams. No practical class.
Week 10. Pan-genomes and applications. "Core" and "dispensable" components of the genome; "guilt by association" functional predictions from phylogenetic profiles and correlated gain/loss of genes. Lecture on concepts and methods; computer-based practical class.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | There is no formal pre-requisite for this course. However, students must have experience of the Linux command-line. This may be obtained, for example, by taking Bioinformatics Programming and System Management (PGBI11095) in Semester 1; or by Introduction to Bioinformatics for Life Scientists (PGBI11117) taken concurrently in Semester 2; or by previous experience. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2021/22, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 42 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 18,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
70 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
In-course continuous assessment (100%). |
| Feedback |
Written feedback will be provided for the in-course assessment and exam. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- choose and apply algorithms and software to reconstruct phylogeny and compare genome sequences, to make discoveries of evolutionary and/or functional importance.
- have enhanced competence and skills in bioinformatics.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Computational thinking. Computer literacy. Bioinformatics. Interdisciplinarity. |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Weekly lectures (~1 hour) and practical classes (~2 hours) will include time to comment on whole-class performance. |
| Keywords | MSc Bioinformatics |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Daniel Barker
Tel: (0131 6)51 7812
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Louise Robertson
Tel: (0131 6)50 5988
Email: |
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