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Evolutionary Cell Biology

This course provides a rigorous and comprehensive introduction to the emerging interdisciplinary field of evolutionary cell biology, which provides an evolutionary framework for the origin and development of cellular structures, processes and functions. This course includes, but is not limited to, the following topics: origin of cells, genetic mechanisms of cellular evolution, evolutionary scaling laws, evolution of cellular structures, energetics and metabolism, information processing, and the evolution of organismal complexity. This course is designed for graduate students and advanced undergraduate students studying the life sciences that have completed at least one course in evolutionary biology and one course in cell biology.

Course materials are open to collaborators and others interested in evolutionary cell biology. If you are interested in learning more about the course, please email Michael Lynch ([email protected]) or Victor Chai ([email protected]).


Course schedule

Theme 1: Introduction to evolutionary cell biology
Class sessionReadingLecture
1IntroductionView slides
2Origin of CellsView slides
3Lines of DescentView slides
Theme 2: The genetic mechanisms of evolution
Class sessionReadingLecture
4Population Genetic EnvironmentView slides
5Population Genetic ProcessesView slides
6Complex AdaptationsView slides
Theme 3. Basic cellular features
Class sessionReadingLecture
7Cellular EnvironmentsView slides
8Phylogenetic ScalingView slides
9Growth DivisionView slides
10Cell Cycle MitosisView slides
11Sex SenescenceView slides
Theme 4. Structural evolution
Class sessionReadingLecture
12ProteinView slides
13MultimerizationView slides
14Protein ManagementView slides
15Lipids and MembranesView slides
16Cytoskeleton, Cell Shape, and MotilityView slides
Theme 5. Energetics and Metabolism
Class sessionReadingLecture
17The Costs of Cellular FeaturesView slides
18Resource Acquisition and HomeostasisView slides
19Enzymes and Metabolic PathwaysView slides
Theme 6. Information processing
Theme 7. Organismal complexity
Class sessionReadingLecture
23EndosymbiosisView slides
24Origins of Organismal ComplexityView slides