Title page for ETD etd-01102008-104027

Type of Document

Dissertation

Author

McGee, Kate ,

Author's Email Address

kate.mcgee@gmail.com

URN

etd-01102008-104027

Title

Evolutionary Factors Shaping Haplotype and Nucleotide Diversity in Humans and Malaria

Degree

PhD

Graduate Program

Bioinformatics

Advisory Committee

Advisor Name	Title
Philip Awadalla, PhD	Committee Co-Chair
Trudy Mackay, PhD	Committee Co-Chair
Eric Stone, PhD	Committee Member
Jeff Thorne, PhD	Committee Member

Keywords

genetic variation
demography
malaria
natural selection
recombination

Date of Defense

2007-12-17

Availability

unrestricted

Abstract

Cheaper and more rapid DNA sequencing has led to the accumulation of large amounts of genetic data and has fueled the development of new methods to analyze this data. Using population genetics theory and computational methods we can explore the evolutionary forces that shape genetic variation within and among populations of humans and malaria parasites. Demographic events such as population size change influence current patterns of genetic variation. Accounting for the demographic history of a population is critical in the interpretation of population genetic analyses, particularly in detecting of regions under selection and in making inferences about linkage disequilibrium. Characterizing how recombination rates evolve is critical for the efficient design of association studies and, in turn, the understanding of the genetics behind complex phenotypes. In malaria parasites, recombination is a key element in the creation of a wide array of antigens, which help invade host cells. We examine patterns of genetic variation in humans and malaria and explore how demographic history and recombination rates affect these patterns.

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