Graduate courses taught

Advanced Topics in Quantitative Genetics and Breeding (FOR-ANS-CS 726):

Topics in genetics pertinent to population improvement for quantitative and categorical traits with special applications to plant and animal breeding. DNA markers – phenotype associations. The theory and application of linear mixed models, genomic selection using maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches. Pedigree and construction of genomic relationships matrices from DNA markers and application in plant and animal breeding.

Co-teachers: James Holland (Guest lecturer, maize geneticist),
Christian Maltecca (Animal geneticist).

The course is offered in the fall semester in even years.

Quantitative Forest Genetics Methods (FOR-728):

This course focuses on the application of quantitative genetic methods in forest tree breeding. Students discuss selected papers on genomic selection and other relevant topics. Each student leads the discussion and presents at least one paper to the class. At the end of each session, the instructor summarizes the study’s main concepts and findings in a short lecture.

The course is offered during the fall semester of odd-numbered years.

Some course notes and SAS programming codes for genetic data analysis

• Some notes on SNP markers data analysis and genome-wide selection methods in tree breeding (PDF).
• A YouTube video about GBLUP (2013)
• Course notes for analysis of binary and count data. Solved examples for forest tree diseases (PDF).
• Data examination using SAS (PDF)
• Analysis of Half-sib Progeny Test Data
• Genetic Correlations and Correlated Response (PDF
• Analysis of Diallels using SAS (PDF) (Analyzing diallel mating designs data is much easier using ASReml or Echidna).
• Data sets used in the notes: pine_halfsib Diallel