Statistics Seminar: Robert Lanfear -- Measuring mutants: statistical and mathematical challenges in understanding molecular evolution, and how to solve some of them

Robert Lanfear Centre for Macroevolution and Macroecology, Research School of Biology
Australian National University 

Location: Carslaw 173 

Time: 2pm Friday, September 16, 2011 

Measuring mutants: statistical and mathematical challenges in understanding molecular
evolution, and how to solve some of them 

Abstract: Understanding molecular evolution is both interesting in its own right, and
also central to how we use and interpret the information contained in DNA sequences.  It
is also fraught with statistical and mathematical challenges.  In this talk I will
discuss a number of recent attempts to overcome some of these challenges, and describe
how each new solution changed how we understand the information in DNA sequences.  These
challenges include how we account for variation in evolutionary processes at different
sites of DNA sequences, how we can statistically compare patterns of molecular evolution
in different lineages, and how we can use comparative methods to understand the causes
and consequences of molecular evolution.