Hjelmen Lab @ UVU

Molecular Evolution and Bioinformatics (ALWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

BIOL 4550--01 Spring 2024

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Integrate sub-disciplines of Molecular Biology into the unifying theme of Molecular Evolution.

2. Recall the major scientists and ideas that contributed to the history of evolutionary thought.

3. Explain the mechanisms of evolution: natural selection, migration, genetic drift, mutation,
and nonrandom mating.

4. Define the basic terminology and principles of the bioinformatic omics
- such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, etc.

5. Contrast the different methodologies of DNA sequencing.

6. Effectively use databases, websites, and computational methods for studying biological data
in relation to the evolution of genes, proteins, and whole genomes.

7. Interpret reconstructed evolutionary trees derived from sequence data.

8. Apply the broader impacts of molecular evolutionary change as they relate to topics such as
the tree of life, coevolution, biodiversity, evolutionary development, cultural issues, social issues, etc.

9. Compose a variety of disciplinary-appropriate texts, for example:
scientific essays evaluating various evolutionary topics, scientific posters, scientific manuscripts, mock grant proposals, etc.

Week	Dates	Topic	Readings	Due Dates
1	Jan. 9 Jan. 11	Intro. & Syllabus Scientific Thought and Intro to Evolution	-	Syllabus quiz- due Jan. 12
2	Jan. 16 Jan. 18	Video on History of Evolution NO IN PERSON CLASS Mendel and the Modern Synthesis	For Class: Mendelism, Darwinism, and Evolutionism--Dobzhansky	Reading Quiz Due Jan. 18
3	Jan. 23 Jan. 25	Introduction to Pop. Gen and Hardy-Weinberg Mechanisms: Mutation and Non-Random Mating	For Class: Crow 1999 Crow and Dove 1988	Reading Quiz Due Jan. 23 Modern Synthesis Scientist Essay Due Jan. 26
4	Jan. 30 Feb. 1	Mechanisms: Selection Mechanisms: Selection	For Class:	Final Project Topic Selection Due Feb. 1
5	Feb. 6 Feb. 8	Selection on H-W Mechanisms: Genetic drift and Gene Flow	For Class: Dobzhansky and Spassky 1962	Reading Quiz Due Feb. 8
6	Feb. 13 Feb. 15	H-W Work Day H-W Work Day	-	Darwin Day Feb 12! H-W Assignment due Feb. 15
7	Feb. 20 Feb. 22	Neutral Theory vs. Selection Neutral Theory Vs. Selection	For Class: Kern & Hahn 2018 Jensen et al. 2018 Kretiman 1996	Reading Quiz Due Feb. 20 Exam 1 Due Feb. 23
8	Feb. 27 Feb. 29	Genome Structure, Duplications, And Gene Families Sequencing and Next Gen. Methods	For Class: Demuth and Hahn 2009	Reading Quiz Due. Feb 27 Take a stance on the neutral theory essay Due Mar. 1
9	Mar. 5 Mar. 7	Finding Sequence data Genome Sequencing Debate	-	Sequencing Debate March 7 Annotated Bibliography and Outline for Background of Proposal Due Mar. 8
-	Mar. 12 Mar. 14	SPRING BREAK--NO CLASS
10	Mar. 19 Mar. 21	Genotyping and GWAS Molecular Pop. Gen	-	Meet with Dr. Hjelmen by Mar. 22
11	Mar. 26 Mar. 28	Molecular Pop. Gen Phylogenetics and Tree Thinking	For Class Schlebusch and Jakobsson 2018	Reading Quiz Due Mar. 26 Should you have to get approval for DNA kits-Essay Due Mar. 29
12	Apr. 2 Apr. 4	Substitution Models and Alignments Making your own Phylogenies	-	Submit Draft of Proposal due Apr. 2 Submit Peer Review by Apr. 5
13	Apr. 9 Apr. 11	Work on Project Work on Project	-	Exam 2 Due Apr. 12
14	Apr. 16 Apr. 18	Work on Project Presentations	-	-
15	Apr. 23	Presentations	-	FInal Proposal Due Apr. 26 by 5pm Group Evaluation Due Apr. 26 by 11:59pm