Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Workshop on Molecular Evolution: Special Session on Phylogenetics

4 February - 8 February 2008

Application Deadline 21 December 2007

Michael P. Cummings and Scott A. Handley, Co-Directors

This course has been especially designed for CDC researchers, and is based on the very successful course taught in Woods Hole, MA. This Workshop consists of a series of lectures, demonstrations and computer laboratories that cover various aspects of molecular evolution focusing on phylogenetic analysis, including both theory and practice. A distinguishing feature of the Workshop is a well developed computer laboratory component allowing each participant to work with their own computer. Developers and experts in the use of computer programs and packages such as BEAST, Clustal, GARLI, MAFFT, MrBayes, PAUP*, and SeaView, provide demonstrations and consultations. This week long program is designed for established investigators, postdoctoral scholars and advanced graduate students desiring advanced instruction in molecular evolution focusing on phylogenetics. The Workshop has 40 instructional hours (4 Continuing Education Units) and a very favorable student to instructor ratio.

Among the topics to be covered include the theory and practice of the following -

• Multiple sequence alignment
• Overview of phylogenetic methods
• Maximum likelihood
• Bayesian analysis
• Inferring dates on phylogenies

2008 Fee: $2000.