September 09th- 20th, 2024 | IFOM, Milan - Italy
In this module we will introduce the students to measurements of fitness (ie, growth). We will give them an 'unknown' strain, whose growth is sensitive to temperature. We will ask them to investigate in which way these cells are sensitive (positive? negative?) to temperature. To this aim, students will grow cells in liquid and solid media, and will identify conditions for extinctions. They will investigate how population size affects these measurements. The data will be fitted to produce fitness measurements. Different experimental methods will be compared. Theoretical classes will be given for introducing the concept of fitness, and basic intro to population genetics. We will also put emphasis on the technical difficulties for addressing even very simple biological questions.
