BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES SERIES
The Dog and Its DNA
Professor Mary Beth Davis

This course will be held at the Independence Branch of the Free Library, located at 18 S. 7th Street (7th and Market Streets), Philadelphia.

LECTURES ARE HELD FROM 6:30 TO 7:45 PM

  1. Wednesday, January 18, 2012 - Evolutionary History of the Domestic Dog
    Although the gray wolf is considered to be the direct ancestor of the domestic dog, genome studies now suggest that wolf populations from several geographical regions may have contributed to dog evolution. We will cover new insights into canine evolution and domestication.
  2. Wednesday, January 25, 2012 - What is a Dog Breed?
    How many breeds are there? What breeds are "in my mixed breed"? Humans have selectively bred dogs for thousands of years. Formal organizations such as the American Kennel Club (AKC) recognize and classify breeds mainly by their appearance and temperament. The Dog Genome Project has developed DNA markers to distinguish breeds from one another, providing new insights into relationships among breeds. We will debate what constitutes a breed and discuss how companies have created DNA tests to infer the ancestry of mixed breed dogs.
  3. Wednesday, February 1, 2012 - Genetics of Morphology and Behavior
    Why does my dog look and act the way it does? There is an extraordinary amount of variation in the physical appearance and personalities of dog breeds. Are these traits due to the major effects of a few genes or the additive effects of many genes? We will consider the genetic basis of physical traits such as coat color and texture, body size, and skeletal development to address this question. We will also review studies of the inheritance of breed-specific behaviors.
  4. Wednesday, February 8, 2012 - Genetics of Morphology and Behavior - cont.
  5. Wednesday, February 15, 2012 - Canine Health and Disease
    There is an ever-growing catalog of single-gene associated canine diseases. This has led to the development of DNA tests and new medical treatments. Several case studies will be presented to highlight advances in the field, and how discoveries in veterinary medicine may have applications for human health and medicine.
  6. Wednesday, February 22, 2012 - Dogs and Cancer
    Dogs are susceptible to cancers that are similar to histologies suffered by humans, including the soft tissue sarcomas, such as lymphoma and melanoma. Certain breeds appear to be particularly vulnerable to specific types of cancers, suggesting an inherited predisposition. This lecture will review research aimed at understanding breed-specific cancer predilections in the dog. Epidemiological and genetic studies will be presented.

Snow Date: Wednesday, February 29, 2012

For thousands of years dogs have been loyal, hard-working companions of humans, not surprising since humans have been selectively breeding dogs that possessed the most desirable attributes for 15,000 years. More than 400 dog breeds are recognized worldwide. Breeds differ tremendously in physical attributes and temperaments, and yet comprise a single species. Advances in genomic sciences provide new approaches to studying canine biology. The completion of the Dog Genome Project and progress in genetic mapping has enabled comprehensive DNA studies of many breeds. These studies inform on many interesting biological questions - evolution of form and function, behavioral genetics, and complex disease mechanisms. This course will examine recent findings that shed light on the genetic basis of morphological and behavioral diversity of dog breeds.

Online resources about topics in basic biology and genetics are available at the website for the Genetics Series at the Wagner Free Institute of Science: www.wagnerfreeinstitute.org/classes/genetics/

Information for dog owners from the NHGRI Dog Genome Project

http://research.nhgri.nih.gov/dog_genome/info_for_dog_owners

This website presents an overview of the project and a basic "Primer on Canine Genetics" for the general public. 

 

 

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