HST.508/Biophysics 170

HST.508 / Biophysics 170

QUANTITATIVE GENOMICS and EVOLUTION

Fall 2009

Course Schedule

The first lecture for MIT and Harvard students
Wed Sept 9,2009

MWF 2:30-4pm (room MIT E25-101)

[Monday, Wednesday: Lecture, Friday: journal/discussion sessions and guest lectures]

Instructors:

Prof. Leonid Mirny, Prof. Shamil Sunyaev, Prof. Alvin Kho and Prof. Isaac Kohane

Contact: Leonid Mirny leonid at mit.edu

Catalogue description:

Introduction to quantitative modeling and analysis of genome evolution, functional and structural genomic data. Strong emphasis on evolutionary understanding and analysis.

The course provide foundation in the following four areas:

Molecular evolutionary and Population Genetics:

Forces of evolution: mutation, selection and drift; neutral theory of evolution; Stochastic models of sequence evolution, nucleotide diversity, tests for positive selection; Human evolution.

Comparative Genomics:

Evolution of genes and genomes; prediction of gene function; conserved regions in genomes, current understanding of their origin and function.

Functional Genomics:

State of the art of techniques for measuring and analysis of gene expression and protein interactions on genomic scale; analysis of functional genomic data; structure and dynamics of biological networks; models of network evolution.

Structural Genomics:

Evolution of protein structure, prediction of functional loci in proteins; effect of mutations on protein structure and function; RNA folding and RNA evolution.

Structure of the course:

Interactive lectures (MW 2:30-4)

Five journal/discussion sessions: critical reading of papers.

The class is divided into prosecutors, defense attorneys and juries who subject the paper to detailed analysis and fair criticism.

Five medical lectures

introduce students to the cutting-edge problems in medical genomics.

Four problem sets

provide hands-on experience in analysis of genomics data

Final project and presentation (working individually or in small groups)

Grade: 30% final project, 40% journal/discussion sessions, 30% problem sets;

Lectures in medical genetics