GEN 705 / 805: Population Genetics

Population genetics is the study of genetic variation in populations. The discipline is rich in theory that describes how various evolutionary forces may shape said variation over time. The course begins by developing our ability to measure variation, and ends in the ethical and societal implications in being able to measure variation and the forces that shape it. Throughout the course, we learn how studies of modern population genetics are done. Specifically, we will learn how sequencing whole genomes, or parts of genomes, of many individuals across different populations, allows us to generate data useful for estimating population genetic parameters and the biological effects of genetic variation. Covers ideas and applications from adjacent fields like evolutionary biology and quantitative genetics.