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Content archived on 2024-06-18

The evolution and implications of fitness-associated genetic mixing - a theoretical study

Objective

Mixing of genetic material coming from different individuals is central for the generation of new genetic combinations, and plays a major role in evolution. Most evolutionary models implicitly assume that genetic mixing has a uniform rate at all times. In contrast, this research will investigate an alternative hypothesis: that genetic mixing is plastic, its rate depending on the state of the organism, so that less fit individuals have a higher tendency for mixing. The research will concentrate on three mechanisms of mixing: sexual reproduction, outcrossing and dispersal. The investigator will develop and analyze mathematical models and simulations of fitness associated mixing, in order to identify conditions favoring the evolution of fitness associated mixing, and to predict its implications for adaptation. This research is a necessary step towards understanding the evolutionary basis and the implications of plastic genetic variation. By improving our understanding of the way genetic variation acts and evolves, the results of this research will affect many evolutionary and ecological models, and guide future experimental efforts. In addition to its direct theoretical significance, it would improve our understanding of how populations react to a changing environment – an issue of critical importance in conservation biology. It may also provide new insights regarding the accelerated evolution of drug resistant pathogen strains in response to successful drug treatment.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-3-IRG
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MC-IRG - International Re-integration Grants (IRG)

Coordinator

TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY
EU contribution
€ 100 000,00
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

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