Principles of Heredity and Ecological Genetics

This course introduces the students to the fields of molecular biology and genetics. After covering the basic concepts of replication, transcription and translation it focuses on single gene inheritance and classic Mendelian genetics. Subsequently the course shifts to more complex genetic concepts linking them to ecologically relevant genetic topics such as population genetics and how mutation and repair contribute to the evolution of new traits. This helps the students understand the problems faced by small population sizes, genetic drift and population bottlenecks. Throughout the course the students must attend exercise sessions and have multiple home assignments where the theoretical concepts are explained with practical examples.