Introduction to Population Genetics

This course introduces students to the factors that influence changes in allele, genotype and phenotype frequencies within populations over time. Topics covered include genetic variation, heterozygosity, mutation, genetic drift, natural selection, migration, population size, non-random mating, population substructure, gene flow, molecular evolution, speciation, and quantitative genetics. Students use basic probability and statistics calculations to perform hypothesis testing associated with the Hardy-Weinberg principle, and to infer from genetic variation the evolutionary processes that are affecting a population. Human genetic diversity is explored, with particular emphasis on human identification through forensic DNA typing of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Likelihood and Bayesian statistical methods and their application to molecular phylogenetics and forensic identification are also discussed. (lec 3). PREREQ: MATH 1036, MATH 1057, STAT 2126 or STAT 2246, and BIOL 2007.