Modelling and Analysis of Gene Duplication

基因复制是进化背后的驱动力，也是进化生物信息学的中心课题。关于基因复制的建模和分析的项目将考虑（i）基因复制的生物建模，包括基因的出生和死亡过程，以及影响重复基因保留的过程，以及（ii）保留基因重复数据的统计建模。此外，它还将解决这两个模型的合并，以便可以对生物机制的各个方面进行推断。该项目的更大背景是提供更好的基因树建模，作为基因和物种树和解问题的一部分。测量误差的统计建模问题，来自不同来源的数据的合并，以及树木数据的分析也将在实践中得到解决。PI将培训和指导研究生和博士后在基因重复数据分析中出现的统计建模和实践。这种分析所需的技术技能和方法可以转移到更大的生物信息学领域和其他数据丰富的领域的其他应用中。该项目还将在向更多受众传播统计信息方面产生更广泛的影响，特别是在生物方面。观众将包括从科学和数学教学中心在怀俄明州大学获得专业发展的K-12教师，在怀俄明州国家科学博览会的参与者，学生在怀俄明州大学和周围的更大社区的成员谁可以参与在新闻中的当前生物/医学主题的统计问题的公开讨论。 其他学生群体，如初中和高中的参与者在科学会议的妇女在怀俄明州和本科生参与者在怀俄明州的大学正在进行的夏季生物信息学计划也将包括在互动作为本项目的一部分。

Gene duplication is the driving force behind evolution, and it is a central topic in evolutionary bioinformatics. The project on modeling and analysis of gene duplication will consider (i) biological modeling of gene duplication, including processes for the birth and death of genes, and processes affecting the retention of duplicate genes, and (ii) statistical modeling of the data on retained gene duplicates. In addition, it will also address the incorporation of both models so that inference can be made about aspects of the biological mechanisms. The larger context for this project is to provide better modeling of gene trees as part of the gene and species trees reconciliation problem. Statistical modeling issues of measurement error, incorporation of data from different sources, and the analysis of data on trees will also be addressed as they arise practically.The PI will train and mentor graduate students and a post-doc in statistical modeling and practice as it arises in the analysis of gene duplication data. Technical skills and methodology needed for this analysis can be transferred to other applications in the larger area of bioinformatics and other data-rich fields. The project will also have broader impacts in the communication of statistical information, especially in a biological context, to a larger audience. The audience will include K-12 teachers who obtain professional development from the Science and Math Teaching Center at the University of Wyoming, participants in the Wyoming State Science Fair, students at the University of Wyoming and members of the larger community surrounding the university who can participate in public discussions of statistical issues in current biological/medical topics in the news. Other student populations such as junior high and high school participants in the Women in Science conferences at the University of Wyoming and undergraduate participants in the ongoing summer Bioinformatics program at the University of Wyoming will also be included in interactions as part of this project.