Teaching
Biology 521 Quantitative Genetics
The primary goals of this course are to examine the fundamental principles of quantitative genetics and their implications, and to explore special topics in both applied and evolutionary quantitative genetics. The course is designed to be of interest to geneticists, plant and animal breeders, and evolutionary biologists. Topics include statistical descriptions of quantitative data, relationships between phenotype and genotype, resemblances among relatives, heritability and genetic correlations, univariate and multivariate responses to selection, inbreeding, evolutionary quantitative genetics and association mapping. Both ANOVA and Mixed Model (BLUP and BLUE using REML and MCMC) methods for assessing quantitative genetic data are discussed and class time is utilized for students to learn how to use quantitative genetic software such as MCMCglmm in R and Wombat. Usually offered Spring semesters in even years.
Evolutionary Quantitative Genetics Workshop
This workshop is usually taught at Friday Harbor Labs or over Zoom every June and is led by Steve Arnold and Joe Felsenstein with multiple guest lecturers. The workshop reviews the basics of theory in the field of evolutionary quantitative genetics and its connections to evolution observed at various time scales. The aim of the workshop is to build a bridge between the traditionally separate disciplines of quantitative genetics and phylogenetic comparative biology.
In addition to Steve Arnold and Joe Felsenstein, lecturers will be:
• Patrick Carter, Evolutionary Physiology, Washington State University, Pullman
• Adam Jones, Biological Sciences, University of Idaho
• Michelle Lawing, Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University
• Brian O’Meara, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Samantha Price, Biological Sciences, Clemson University
• Josef Uyeda, Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
The workshop may be taught again in June 2024; stay tuned for applications and for details.