Course: Phylogenetics in Biodiversity Research

Instructors: Prof. Harald Schneider, Prof. LI Jie

Instructor Team: Dr Lucie Bauret, Dr. Li Lang, Dr. Meng Honghu, Dr. Tao Fujiwara

Course Language: English

Credits: 4

Time and Date: 9:00-12:00, 14:00-18:00; 19 – 31 August 2018 (12 days)

Organiser: Center for Integrative Conservation & Office of Human Resources and Education, XTBG

Venue: Meeting room 1, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), CAS, in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China.

Application: please fill and send the application form to Yang Junlin (yangjunlinyd@163.com) and cc to Pan Libing (panlibing@xtbg.ac.cn). Deadline: 14 August 2018.

Course objectives and requirements:

This course provides an introduction in the theory and methods employed to reconstruct and interpret the tree-of-life and the usage of molecular phylogenetic tools in applied biodiversity research such as molecular taxonomy and metabarcoding. Th course is divided into a series of modules, each consist of training in the theoretical background (lectures) and applications of the methods (lab-classes), including (a) phylogenetic and molecular evolution, (b) reconstructing the past (divergence times, ancestral areas, ancestral character evolution), and (c) metabarcoding as a tool in applied biosciences.

Particular Attention is given to the application of phylogenetics/ molecular systematics in biodiversity research including ecology and conservation.

The workshop is suitable for MSc / PhD candidates and working researchers. The class is designed for beginners and those with only limited practice. Thus, no prior knowledge inn molecular biology and evolutionary sciences is required. Students with advanced knowledge in phylogenetics may want to wait for a second class in advanced phylogenetics/ population genetics.

Selection Criteria: Students applying to attend this class should provide brief comments on the following issues:

(1) Student Status: the year of the MSc and PhD program and specific information about the program, e.g. major focus of the research program.

(2) Brief outline of the previous experience in molecular systematics/ taxonomy/ molecular biology

(3) Brief statement how the obtained knowledge will support the research program of these studies. Students showing a clear need to learn the methods introduced to achieve their research program will have priority.

Requirements to succeed the class:

All students must attend classes and complete lectures.

All students must contribute to a experimental research project involving work in the molecular laboratory and analyses using advanced analyses 

All students are expected to bring a personal computer to be set-up to carry out the basic analyses, which will be used for the course practicals.

The students are expected to contribute actively to all components of the research class.

All students will have to contribute actively to a research seminar class.

Text Book: No published Textbook is recommended. The participants will have access to PPTs and print outs as course syllabus.

The course detail schedule and application form are attached below.