Experimental Evolution

Catalog description

In this course, we will take an experimental approach to studying the pattern and process of evolution. Using the framework of experimental evolution, students will design experiments using a combination of microbial and digital organisms and will observe the evolutionary process. Course topics will include the concepts of fitness and adaptation, forces of evolutionary change, population genetics, neutral theory, speciation, experimental design and experimental analysis. The importance of microbial evolution to human health and infectious disease will be emphasized.