Statistical methods in relatedness and pedigree analysis [NB! NEW DATES: JUNE 13-17, 2022]

 

Dates: 13-17 June 2022

Location: University of Oslo, Kristine Bonnevies hus (Blindernveien 31).

Organiser: Magnus Dehli Vigeland

Credits: 4 ECTS

Evaluation: The students will do a project after the course, delivering a written report within a month. The report will be marked as passed/not passed. 

Course webpage: HERE.

Registration: Closed. 

Registration deadline: May 12, 2022.

 

Lecturers:

Magnus Dehli Vigeland, PhD (UiO)

Thore Egeland, Professor (NMBU)

 

Course description

The course introduces statistical methods used in relatedness and pedigree analysis, with applications in forensic genetics, medical genetics and pedigree reconstruction.

The study of genetic relatedness and how genetic information flows in families, is central in a variety of important research fields, including medical genetics, forensics and animal breeding. The aim of this course is to introduce the students to the elegant concepts and results forming the theoretical foundation of genetic relatedness, and to present in some detail several modern applications. In the exercises we use R and the ped suite packages for pedigree analysis.

Click here for link to ped suite.

 

Course program

Monday

09-11 Introduction I: Pedigrees, genetics and probabilities

11-12 Exercises

12-13 Lunch

13-15 Introduction II: Pedigree analysis in R with the ped suite

15-16:30 Exercises

 

Tuesday

09-11 Relatedness I: What does it mean to be related? IBD and coefficients of relatedness

11-12 Exercises

12-13 Lunch

13-15 Relatedness II: Why are some siblings more equal than others? Distributions of realised relatedness

15-16:30 Exercises

 

Wednesday

09-11 Forensic applications I

11-12 Exercises

12-13 Lunch

13-15 Inference of relatedness and pedigree reconstruction

15-16:30 Exercises

 

Thursday

09-11 Forensic applications II

11-12 Exercises

12-13 Lunch

13-15 Segregation analysis in medical genetics

15-16:30 Exercises

 

Friday

09-11 Genealogical triangulation

11-12 Exercises

12-13 Lunch

13-16:30 Case study and wrap up

 

Learning outcomes and competence

After completing the course the student will have knowledge about:

  • classical concepts and methods of statistical genetics
  • important applications of pedigrees and relatedness in forensic and medical genetics
  • software for visualising and analysing pedigrees and marker data

 

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of genetics and probability. Some experience with R is an advantage but not required.