| How does a new species arise? With the recent advances in -omics technologies and the ability to sequence complete genomes, characterize full transcriptomes or metabolomes, we have never been as close to the answer as now. This technological boom not only revived the interest of the scientific community for speciation research, but also enriched our knowledge of the processes underlying adaptation and population differentiation. This course covers up-to-date theoretical aspects of adaptation, speciation and hybridization barriers in animals and plants, as well as the modern approaches to address these questions. Students will have hands-on practical classes involving state-of-the-art genomic analyses applied to the topics of speciation and adaptation: study design, transcriptomic analyses in hybrids, QTL to determine the genetic basis of adaptation/hybridization barriers, genome scans searching for selective sweeps… They will be based on data adapted from actual recent research works. The course is taught exclusively in English. |
| After the major scientific advances in epigenetics during the last decade, it is now clear that epigenetic mechanisms play an important role in gene regulation, genome integrity, phenotypic plasticity, reproduction, and even evolution with the stable transmission of certain epigenetic marks over generations. This role seems even exacerbated in plants, sessile organisms that cannot escape environmental changes and stresses, and therefore evolved molecular mechanisms to cope with such constraints. The aim of this course is to deliver the current knowledge on plant epigenetics, its role in gene regulation, transposable elements silencing, stress response and its stable transmission through mitosis and even meiosis. |
| MB120P173 - Skills in pedagogy, communication and self confidence in science |
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From peer to peer, from teacher or supervisor to student and vice versa, from scientists to the general audience, communication plays a key role in science. However, our training in such skills is scarce and communication is too often hampered by low self esteem. From tips and tricks to better perform in public to core changes in one’s self esteem, this course is the basis to have a more appeased and joyful approach to science, presentations, discussion etc. To achieve this goal, the course will include lectures involving pedagogy, theater or psychology that will highly rely on practical classes: one cannot endlessly discuss self-esteem and communication, one has to do it. This course is held in English. |
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MB120P177 - Transposable elements: from junk DNA toad to Prince Major Driver of biodiversity |
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Selfish genes, really? Transposable elements, since their discovery, have been considered either as useless pieces of DNA, as selfish parasitic genes or as major elements driving biodiversity. The aim of this course is to bring a holistic knowledge of transposable elements, from the molecular mechanisms underlying their function to their impact on populations and species in eukaryotes. It will involve lectures gathering current research issues as well as practicals involving modern tools used in current research. |