Forest Genetics - FOR6310 (section 8262X, 3 credits)

COURSE SUMMARY: Forest Genetics (FOR6310) introduce students to principles of population and quantitative genetics and demonstrate their application to conservation and breeding. General concepts to be covered will include gene and genome structure and function; transmittal of genetic material (meiosis and mitosis, segregation, recombination); origin and measurement of genetic variation; Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium; multiple loci and genetic linkage; quantitative genetic models (additive, dominance and epistasis); heritability; random genetic drift and inbreeding, population structure and natural and artificial selection. Examples will focus on forest tree species, including applications of the theory to quantify genetic diversity and evolution of natural populations, and selection in breeding programs.

OFFERED: Fall of even years

To be offered in the Fall for the first time!!!!

Introduction to Microarrays - Platforms, experimental design and analysis

Workshop and Journal Club

COURSE SUMMARY - WORKSHOP: We are currently developing a 1 week workshop to be taught by the end of the Summer of every year. Topics will include microarray platforms (printed cDNA and oligonucleotides, Affymetrix, NimbleGen, Combimatrix and Agilent), labelling approches (direct, indirect and dye-coupling), experimental design, analysis methods and applications (from gene expression to genome structure analysis with tilling arrays). The workshop will include practical training in some of the most popular platforms.

COURSE SUMMARY - JOURNAL CLUB: A Journal Club - Microarrays: platforms, experimental design, analysis and applications - will be initially offered in the Fall 2006. Depending on the student's interest we will continue in the following years.

OFFERED: Fall of every years