Course Identification

This course on genome evolution will bring classical, basic and contemporary research, challenges, and new horizons in the study of genomes and their evolution. We will emphasize the molecular, informatics, and experimental and theoretical approaches to the study of evolution.

Course chapters

1. The structure of genomes and genetic regulatory networks
2. Essentials of the theory of evolution
3. Molecular phylogeny
4. The genetic code
5. Mutation rates and evolutionary dynamics: how often (should) mistakes happen? How mutation rates effect evolutionary rates?
6. Fitness landscapes
7. Evolution through gene and genome duplications: what can two copies do that one can’t?
8. Selection and drift: can species evolve without selection?
9. Experimental evolution: can we evolve species and genes in the lab? What are the lessons learned?
10. Evolution, health and medicine: how does evolution affect our body during life?
11. Social biology and evolution of cooperation: how organisms evolve to cooperate?
12. Evolution as learning: what are similarities and differences between evolution and behavioral learning in animals in terms of memory, predictions, anticipations, and gambling?
13. Evolution and language: what are the commonalities and differences?
14. The future of evolution: Beyond Darwinian Evolution? Lamarckism? How will evolution shape our future health, and engineering? 

Upon successful completion of this course students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate familiarity with and understanding of insights on the state of the art in genome evolution 
2. Discuss recent advances in this exciting field.

Participants are expected to read general literature on genomics, epigenomics and evolution (a list of recommended papers will be given before the course). Important background and references for each seminar will be distributed one week in advance by the respective presenter.