Natural selection is an important factor in biological evolution. This is expressed in the famous Darwinian principle of survival of the fittest. According to this principle, populations should evolve towards a peak of a fitness landscape. However, selection competes with stochastic evolutionary forces, such as mutations, recombination, and reproductive fluctuations (genetic drift). Moreover, selection itself is often time-dependent and sometimes stochastic: fitness becomes a dynamic seascape rather than a static landscape. Stochastic forces drive populations away from fitness peaks - but where do they end up? In this course, we discuss the statistical mechanics of molecular evolution - within and away from equilibrium. We will cover recent theoretical developments and applications to evolution of microbial, viral, and immune systems.

1. Survival of the fittest: evolution under natural selection
2. Survival of the flattest: selection and mutations
3. Survival of the fattest: evolution with reproductive fluctuations
4. Survival of a message: evolution of molecular interactions
5. Survival of the first: evolution in growing populations
6. Survival of the simplest? Evolutionary forces on organismic complexity
7. Survival of the fastest: Statistics of adaptive processes
8. Predicting and controlling evolution: Who will win?

Lectures are scheduled Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00-11:30, with the Friday slot devoted to exercise sessions in alternating weeks. The course starts with a first session on Thursday 06-04, 10:00 in Conference room 216. For further information and course material please refer and register to the ILIAS web page.

Credits: 6 CP or 7.5 CP (with optional student's seminar talk)

Course level: Master

Course classification: Area of emphasis "Statistical and Biological Physics"