209515 Research Module A: evolutionäre Populationsgenetik (Pj) (WiSe 2025/2026)

In this research module, the students will gain experience of theoretical and practical aspects of modern population genetics, with a focus on wild populations. Concrete topics include but are not restricted to:

Marine mammal genetics / genomics
Genetics / genomics of polar organisms
Fungal genetics / genomics
Conservation genetics / genomics
Genetics of individualization
Population structure, gene flow and local adaptation
Genetic diversity and inbreeding
Mechanisms of inbreeding depression
Immunogenetics
Quantitative genetics
Comparative genomics
Speciation genomics
Climate change genomics
Ecological and evolutionary epigenetics
The genetics of sexual traits
Host-microbe interactions

The students typically combine practical aspects such as DNA extraction and genotyping with data analysis and interpretation. However, we can also offer more theoretically oriented research modules with a stronger focus on data analysis and results interpretation. There is also ample opportunity for the students to apply bioinformatic tools to analyse large existing genomic datasets (e.g. whole genomes, epigenomes and transcriptomes) from a wide variety of organisms, from fur seals to mushrooms, to address cutting-edge questions in modern population genomics.