Module #1 Introduction to Marine Mammal Genetics Overview of the field, importance, and applications of genetic research in marine mammals
Module #2 Marine Mammal Evolution and Systematics Phylogenetics, species relationships, and classification of marine mammals
Module #3 Genomic Tools and Techniques PCR, DNA sequencing, genotyping, and other molecular biology methods
Module #4 Marine Mammal Genome Assembly and Annotation Assembly and annotation of marine mammal genomes, including repetitive elements and gene prediction
Module #5 Population Genetics and Structure Genetic variation, population structure, and gene flow in marine mammals
Module #6 Phylogeography and Migration Patterns Spatial and temporal patterns of genetic variation, and migration routes in marine mammals
Module #7 Adaptation to Aquatic Environments Genomic adaptations to aquatic environments, including osmoregulation, thermoregulation, and vision
Module #8 Evolution of Marine Mammal Traits Genetic basis of unique traits, such as blubber, flippers, and echolocation
Module #9 Behavioral Genetics in Marine Mammals Genetic basis of behavioral traits, such as social behavior, migration, and feeding habits
Module #10 Conservation Genetics Application of genetic principles to conservation efforts, including monitoring, management, and genetic rescue
Module #11 Genetic Monitoring of Marine Mammal Populations Non-invasive genetic sampling, genetic monitoring, and population size estimation
Module #12 Inbreeding and Genetic Drift Consequences of inbreeding and genetic drift on marine mammal populations
Module #13 Genetic Impact of Human Activities Effects of human activities, such as pollution, climate change, and overfishing, on marine mammal genetics
Module #14 Genomics of Disease and Health in Marine Mammals Genomic approaches to understanding disease and health in marine mammals, including disease surveillance and epidemiology
Module #15 Forensic Genetics in Marine Mammal Research Application of genetic techniques to forensic analysis, including species identification and individual identification
Module #16 Ancient DNA and Historical Genetics Analysis of ancient DNA from marine mammals, including historical population dynamics and extinction events
Module #17 Comparative Genomics of Marine Mammals Comparison of genomic features across different marine mammal species, including gene content, regulation, and evolution
Module #18 Bioinformatics and Computational Tools Introduction to bioinformatics tools and pipelines for analyzing marine mammal genomic data
Module #19 Statistical Analysis of Genetic Data Statistical methods for analyzing genetic data, including population genetics, phylogenetics, and genomic analysis
Module #20 Case Studies in Marine Mammal Genetics In-depth examination of specific research projects or species, illustrating applications of genetic principles in marine mammal research
Module #21 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Marine Mammal Research Integration of genetics with ecology, behavior, physiology, and other disciplines to understand marine mammal biology
Module #22 Ethics and Policy in Marine Mammal Genetics Ethical considerations and policy implications of genetic research in marine mammals, including conservation, management, and commercial applications
Module #23 Next-Generation Sequencing Technologies Advances in sequencing technologies, including Illumina, PacBio, and Oxford Nanopore, and their applications in marine mammal genetics
Module #24 Single-Cell Genomics and Epigenomics Analysis of gene expression and epigenetic regulation at the single-cell level in marine mammals
Module #25 Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Marine Mammal Genetics Applications of machine learning and AI in genomic analysis, including pattern recognition, clustering, and predictive modeling
Module #26 Citizen Science and Crowdsourcing in Marine Mammal Genetics Involving the general public in marine mammal genetic research, including data collection, analysis, and interpretation
Module #27 Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing in Marine Mammal Genetics International collaboration, data sharing, and knowledge exchange in marine mammal genetic research
Module #28 Future Directions in Marine Mammal Genetics Emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in marine mammal genetic research, including omics technologies and synthetic biology
Module #29 Grant Writing and Funding Opportunities Securing funding for marine mammal genetic research, including grant writing strategies and funding agency programs
Module #30 Course Wrap-Up & Conclusion Planning next steps in Marine Mammal Genetics career
