Epidemiology meets POpulatioN GEnetics: basics and beyond

Within the framework of infectious diseases, the interface between epidemiology and population genetics allows scientists to uncover relevant parameters that influence the dynamics of a disease. Currently this interface is exploited to:

  • Identify routes of transmission of infectious agents and their vectors.
  • Model the risk, origin and spread of drug resistance.
  • Assess the efficacy of drug treatments, diagnostics or vaccines.
  • Assess the impact of prevention and control programs.

EPONGE workshop

The EPONGE workshop will provide a series of theoretical and practical lectures directed to shed light into the interface between epidemiology and population genetics and its relevance for the better understanding of the dynamics and evolution of infectious diseases.

The workshop is aimed to graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and faculty members at Universities and academic institutions from Peru and other countries. All the lectures and talks will be taught in English.

Basic and advanced concepts on epidemiology and population genetics will be delivered and complemented by hands-on practices on genetic multivariate analyses. Open-source computer packages will be used including GenAlEx, Fstat, LIAN, Structure, PHYLOViZ and Bottleneck to explore: genetic diversity and differentiation, linkage disequilibrium, haplotype assignment, genetic clustering, population structure, network analysis and bottleneck events.

Noteworthy, the formulation and Bayesian inference of migration models (gene flow patterns) will be taught by Prof. Peter Beerli (FSU, USA), developer of the program MIGRATE-N, through lectures and hands-on tutorials.

Within the EPONGE workshop experts from different international research institutions have been invited to present through teleconferences how they approach population genetics within the scope of the epidemiology of infectious diseases.

EPONGE is translated from French to sponge. We anticipate that you will become a sponge during the workshop and ‘absorb’ as much as possible!

Sponsors