Genetics with Statistics - LIFE95010
Aims
By the end of the Genetics section of the module students should be able to (1) Describe factors affecting the expression of genes in eukaryotes, including the phenomenon of epigenetics; (2) Discuss the origin of new genes, evolution of genes and factors affecting population gene frequencies in time and space; (3) Describe the inheritance of complex or quantitative traits, and the use of quantitative trait loci (QTL) in mapping; (4) Discuss how genetic techniques can be applied to natural history, reconstructing relationships (phylogenies) and conservation; (5) Students will demonstrate their competence in genetics techniques by inducing and scoring mutations in Salmonella and conducting a population genetics analysis of microsatellite dataset using standard software such as GENEPOP. By the end of the Statistics section students should be able to (6) Obtain descriptive statistics of the data; (7) Produce meaningful visualizations the data by plotting them for exploration as well as model fitting; (8) Test for certain properties of data, such as normality, log-normality, etc. (9) For two samples, be able choose the appropriate test (e.g., t-test, paired t-test, Mann-Whitney u-test; randomization test etc); (10) Understand and use linear models including linear regression and ANOVA, check model assumptions using QQ plots, residual plots etc; (11) For data with non-normal errors or count data, be able to choose and perform appropriate tests especially generalised linear models (GLMs), and interpret the output
Role
Lecturer
Ecology - LIFE95007
Aims
This course will expose students to the broad diversity of approaches and topics in modern ecology. Major aims are to understand: (a) key ecological issues at different organisational levels: from individuals and populations to communities and ecosystems; (b) the importance of evolutionary and taxonomic insights in ecology; (c) the range of theories that explain how diversity is maintained.
Role
Lecturer
Ecology and Evolution - LIFE40007
Aims
The impact of our species' activities on the world's ecosystems poses an existential threat to human civilisation. It is critical that biological scientists understand the processes by which the diversity of life on earth has arisen, interacts with its environment, and is maintained, so that we can critically evaluate environmental policy.
This module aims to explore how the planet's biological diversity is organised by ecological processes into ecosystems, communities, and populations. We also aim to develop your skills in statistics, experimental design, and practical field-work, and to continue to develop your writing skills.
Role
Lecturer