This module covers the theory and practice of modern genetics. It is designed to provide biologists with the foundations upon which statistical genetics is built, and/or an introduction to the concepts of classical and contemporary genetics for statisticians and informaticians.

The module starts with the key concepts of quantitative and Mendelian genetics and then illustrates how these have been reconciled with molecular biology. Three half-days are then spent on the basics of genome-wide association mapping as well as exome and whole genome sequencing; on evolutionary and population genetics particularly as they pertain to human biology; and on gene expression profiling and integrative genomics leading to systems biology, also touching on personalized medicine.

Suggested pairings with: Module 5: Regression Methods: Concepts & Applications and Module 16: Pathway and Network Analysis for Omics Data.

Learning Objectives: After attending this module, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the difference between heritability and inheritance.
2. Distinguish between mutations and polymorphisms, and explain how different classes of genetic variants contribute to phenotypic variation.
3. Appreciate how genome sequencing, gene expression profiling, and cutting-edge genomics technologies are being used in contemporary medicine, agriculture, and ecology to understand and predict phenotype.
4. Know the basic contributions of mutation, migration, drift and natural selection to the evolution of populations, specifically to divergence among human groups.
5. Take additional modules in the Summer Institute having a solid foundation of the fundamentals of statistical genetics.