Entry requirements

Bioinformatic Analyses I. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

Learning outcomes

The course focuses on evolutionary analyses and analyses of biological diversity. After the course, the student should be able to:

• explain and justify different models of sequence evolution
• explain and evaluate different phylogenetic optimality criteria and choose the appropriate criterion to solve a given problem
• outline and apply the process to carry out and evaluate a phylogenetic analysis and explain its different parts
• explain the principles of up-to-date multivariate methods
• choose and apply (for the problem area) existing software on a given biological problem
• critically analyse, evaluate and compile obtained results

Content

The course mainly deals with bioinformatics with a focus on evolutionary analyses and contains the following parts and aspects:

Models for sequence evolution and statistical sequence comparisons. Phylogenetics; trees and networks, parsimony, distance methods, probability-based methods (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference). Multivariate methods for reducing dimensionality and visualisation (PCA and MDS).

Instruction

The teaching is provided in the form of web-based teaching,computer exercises and project assignment.

Assessment

Modules: Theory 2 credits; computer exercises 2 credits; project 1 credit

The theory part is examined by a written examination. The modules computer exercises and project are examined in writing.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.