Introduction to Coalescent Theory - Lecture 1

Introduction to Coalescent Theory - Lecture 1

Explore the foundations of coalescent theory in this comprehensive lecture from the Third Bangalore School on Population Genetics and Evolution. Delve into the neutral Wright-Fisher model, examine the structure and implications of coalescence trees, and learn how to interpret polymorphism data. Investigate key concepts such as mitochondrial Eve, ancient Neanderthal mtDNA, and mutation rates. Gain insights into estimating parameters under the infinite-sites model and detecting deviations from standard evolutionary models. Ideal for advanced PhD students and researchers in biology, mathematics, and related fields seeking to deepen their understanding of population genetics and evolutionary processes.