Experimental design for genomics

Think about the project. And propose an experimental design (samples? replicates? technologies? analysis approaches?)

Maximum 4 people per project. 

Topics.

  1. Coloration  of barn owls varies continuously from white in southwestern Europe to reddish-brown in northeastern Europe (Antoniazza et al 2010). How would you determine whether this is due to adaptation? Whether its determined environmentally or genetically? And how can you determine which genes are responsible? Put your names here: Markus Möst, Doro, Joana, David, Charles done........
  2. Monomorium pharaonis (the pharaoh ant) is a pest species found in human homes and buildings across the globe. It is likely that we have been helping it disperse for hundreds of years. Nobody knows where it is really from. How could you find out? Put your names here: Simona, Rounak, Anna Sramkova, Biter done...
  3. How do genomics technologies offer new opportunities for help prioritizing conservation areas? What would you do? What are advantages and shortcomings? Put your names here: …...
  4. How does pollution (endocrine disruptors) modify sex-specific gene expression in fishes for which we don’t have the genome, and you cannot sex them till they’re adults? (it’s really like that) Put your names here:
  5. Some animal species have very striking features, such as the narwal “horn”, huge antlers of moose, or peacock tails. Choose such a species / feature pair and investigate whether its genomic control is under diversifying, purifying, or relaxed selection.Put your names here: Pawel Rosikiewicz, Josephine Daub, Barbara Piasecka, Nadja Kryuchkova
  6. Population genomics of tumour cells to find positively selected variants, which probably help the tumour to adapt. Put your names here: Aurelien, Marinela, Dilly De Silva, Isabel Alves
  7. How does polyploidisation impact alternative splicing (choose a model species or clade)? Put your names here:Oliver Horlacher, Myriam, Maike
  8. Use natural plant hybrids to distinguish the effect of cis-regulation of genes (promoter sequence) vs trans-regulation (transcription factors). Is there differential selection on cis and trans in the hybrid zone? Put your names here:
  9. Bats and dolphins both use echolocation to locate their prey. Are the same genes & similar mutations involved? Put your names here: Ivan, Martha, Aivett, Pierre
  11. Ants, termites and bees independently evolved tremendous intraspecific variation in lifespan whereby workers live for one season & queens live for up to 10 times longer. How would you determine the molecular basis for this? Put your names here: Ben Braim, Jia Li, Diogo Silva  done......
  12. Choose your favorite animal/plant/whatever. Propose a genome sequencing project. Put your names here:Namrata, Priyanka Sinha