Mendelian Genetics Lab

Co-developed lesson on Medelian Genetics used in an Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology class.  Students use a chi-square test (simulation and theory-based) to compare their observed phenotype data (leaf and stem color) to the hypothesized distribution (Mendal’s second law). Data are pooled across 8 lab groups. Use lab write-up here.

Resampling-based methods for biologists

With advances in simulation-based inference, bootstrapping and other simulation-based methods are being employed more often by biologists. This Minnesota-based team of biologists (John Fieberg, Kelsey Vitense, and Douglas H. Johnson) has pulled together some useful examples of re-samping methods complete with R-code and data. You can find the article, Resampling-based methods for biologists, here, and

New Biology activities on genetic drift and using randomization-based inference

Jeff Ploegstra’s presentation at Iowa Science Teacher’s Section (ISTS) looks at an overview of the “new biology” with examples of projects worked on with students utilizing large data sets requiring inferential statistics, algorithmic thinking, and comfortability interfacing with common databases to make predictions and draw conclusions. Also in the presentation are example exercises that could