1. Lecture 1: Introduction to Population Genetics
August 20, 2012

2. Instructors Steve DiFazio Hari Chhetri (TA)
5200 Life Sciences Building
Office Hours: Mon, Wed, Thurs 1 to 2 pm
Hari Chhetri (TA)
5206 Life Sciences Building
Office Hours: Tue, Wed, Fri 11:30 to 12:30
Please use office hours, or make appointment!

3. Course Structure Two 50-minute lectures per week
Do readings before class
Bring a calculator to class
Be ready to participate!
Handouts of lecture slides will usually be distributed at beginning of class
Slides posted to website after class (don’t print old slides)
One 2-hour lab session, 6:30-8:20 each week

4. Grading Exam 1, Sept 26, 120 points Exam 2, Oct 31, 120 points
Weekly Lab Reports, 12 X 10 pts = 120 points
Final Exam, Monday, Dec 11, 11 am, 3131 LSB, 140 points
Extra credit opportunities
Scale for final grades:
(no curve)

5. or Google “difazio popgen”
Class Website
or Google “difazio popgen”
Home page has information from syllabus:
Course structure
Grading
Rules and policies

6. Schedule Page Updated continuously during course
Lecture slides available following lecture
Reading assignments
Exam schedule
Lab schedule

7. Required Text
Hedrick, P.W Genetics of Populations. Jones and Bartlett
Available from WVU book store
Also partially on Google Books (searchable)

8. Supplemental Reading Mountain Lynx
Three books on reserve in WVU downtown library:
Hamilton, M Population Genetics.
Gillespie, J.H Population Genetics: A Concise Guide.
Falconer, D.S., and T.F.C. Mackay Introduction to Quantitative Genetics.
Mountain Lynx

9. Supplemental Reading

10. Other Resources

11. Laboratory TA: Hari Chhetri Tightly linked to lectures
Intended as “Active Learning” modules
Enhance understanding of concepts and principles
Provide hands-on introduction to Population Genetics software
Every Wednesday evening, 6:30 to 8:20 pm
3306 Life Sciences Building (Biology computer lab)
Bring a calculator and your lab manual

12. Required Lab Manual
Slavov, G, E. Rodgers-Melnick, and S.P. DiFazio BIOL 464/GEN 535 Population Genetics Laboratory Manual. WVU Press. 107 Pages.
Available only from WVU book store (~$20)
Please purchase by this Wednesday, August 22

13. Extra Credit Opportunity
Find a new error in the Lab Manual or Text
Typo/grammatical error: 1 point
Calculation, derivation or mathematical error: 5 points
First come, first served

14. Laboratory Web Page Schedule of lab topics
Links to required software and data
Due dates for lab reports

15. Lab Reports Lab reports due at beginning of lab period
12 total, worth 10 points each
Deduct 0.5 points for each day late
Last report is optional: up to 10 pts extra credit
Guidelines for lab report are in lab manual
and/or paper versions are fine
Most weeks require a write-up with interpretations for each calculation or simulation
Please be careful to fully answer questions, including explanations of results from biological standpoint

16. Working Together and Academic Honesty
Group work in laboratory is optional but encouraged
It is fine to discuss lab problems and work on them together
HOWEVER, your lab report must be your original work
See academic honesty policy on class website
Exams are based primarily on the lab exercises and examples worked in class

17. Highlights from the Schedule
Introduction to Probability
Genetic variation in populations: Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
Selection
Inbreeding
Genetic drift
Gene Flow and population structure
Phylogenetics
Genetic identity and forensic identification
Coalescence and neutral theory
Linkage disequilibrium
Quantitative genetics
Tying genotypes to phenotypes

18. What is Evolution?

19. Evolutionary Synthesis
Sewall Wright
Fisher, Wright, and Haldane were fathers of population genetics and modern evolutionary theory
Working in early 1920’s, worked out how to apply Mendel’s laws in a population context to provide mechanistic explanation for evolutionary change
R.A. Fisher
J.B.S. Haldane

20. Population Genetics Diversity
Study of heritable variation in assemblages of organisms, and how this is affected by mutation, drift, selection, and gene flow
Mutation +
Drift -
Diversity
Selection
+/-
Migration +

21. Population Genetics is Important
Disease susceptibility, genetic testing, and personalized medicine
Statistical interpretation of forensic DNA evidence
Human evolution and cultural history
Crop and animal improvement
Traditional breeding
Genetic engineering
Conservation plans for plant and animal communities
Responses of plant and animal communities to climate change