72848 - MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student, starting from the knowledge of the mechanisms of molecular evolution, will be trained in the study of phylogenetic inference and will be able to reconstruct phylogenetic trees based on several molecular markers, applying the State-of-the-Art bioinformatic tools in the field. In particular the student will acquire the basics of phylogenomics and will analyze case studies in phylogenetics and phylogenomics.

Course contents

• Sequence alignment
  
• Bootstrap
• Genetic distances
  
• UPGMA, Neighbor Joining
• Models of molecular evolution
  
• Maximum parsimony
  
• Maximum Likelihood
• Bayesian inference
  
• Networks
• How to interpret a phylogenetic tree
  
• Ultrametric trees
  
• Phylogenomics
• Examples of phylogenetic inferences: case studies.
  

Readings/Bibliography

No updated texts are available. Students will study on the material provided by the teacher (slides and scientific papers).

Teaching methods

Public letures and computer exercises.

Assessment methods

The exam at the end of the course aims to assess the achievement of the following learning objectives:

• ability to align and analyze DNA sequences for phylogenetic analyses;
• understanding of the theoretical basis of the methods of phylogenetic and filogenomic inferences;
• ability to use the most common softwares for phylogenetic inference.
  

The final score is defined by oral examination.

Teaching tools

Lectures, with powerpoint slides, and computer exercises.
Powerpoint presentations used during the lessons will be available to students.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Passamonti