Description: Biologists are obsessed (indeed, seduced) by the search for signatures of selection in organismal features of interest, ranging from specific traits to genome-wide signatures. A vast number of approaches have been suggested in this search for selection, including genomic-based signatures of recent or ongoing selection, tests based on either excessive amounts or nonrandom patterns of divergence (in both fossil sequences and functional genomics data) and the more classical Lande-Arnold fitness estimates (direct association of phenotypic values with fitness estimates) and their modern extensions (such as aster models). Given the breadth of such searches, a large amount of machinery has been developed, but is rarely presented in a unified fashion. This tutorial presents an integrated overview of all these approaches, highlighting common themes and divergent assumptions. (see Draft Agenda for a list of lectures).

The goal of this tutorial is to expose investigators from all branches of biology to this rich menagerie of tests. It is applicable for population geneticists, genome biologists, evolutionary ecologists, paleontologists, functional morphologists, and just about any biologist who ponders on how to formally demonstrate that a feature (or features) of interest might have been shaped by selection.

Intended Audience: The intended audience is advanced graduate students, postdocs, and faculty with an interest in searching for targets of selection, be they particular genomic sequences or particular traits.  Given the breadth of this topic, we expect students from functional genomics, population and evolutionary genetics, ecology, paleobiology, functional morphology, and statistics (as well as other fields).  The background required is some basic introduction to population and/or quantitative genetics.

Application Deadline: February 1, 2018
To apply, you must complete an application on our online registration system:

1. Click here to access the system
2. Login or register
3. Complete your user profile (if you haven’t already)
4. Find this tutorial event under Current Events Open for Application and click on Apply

Participation in NIMBioS tutorials is by application only. Individuals with a strong interest in the topic are encouraged to apply, and successful applicants will be notified within several weeks after the application deadline. NIMBioS will cover lodging (5 nights) and provide breakfast and lunch each day at NIMBioS. If needed, limited financial support for travel expenses is available.