We aim to understand the evolutionary processes occurring in populations. On one side, we develop statistical methods and perform simulation studies with the goal of improving the detection of specific patterns of variability, using population genomics perspective but also combining phenotype and environmental information. On another side, we analyze empirical genomic data from wild and domesticated populations to detect the effect of positive selection and other evolutionary processes. Specifically, the lines of research are the following:

Developing Methods and Software

Methods to analyze the Genetic Variability: We develop statistical methodologies focused on measuring the variability and in distinguishing the different evolutionary forces, such as detecting the effects on traits affected by positive selection.

Develop PopGen Software: to release software for the analysis of variability is of great importance to spread our methodologies and to allow that other researchers perform analysis using our perspective.

Study of Empirical Data

Genetic Variability in Natural Populations: In close collaboration with Dr. M. Abdelaziz (University of Granada) we aim to explore the effects of changes in ploidy and mating systems on ecological and genetic mechanisms that in turn mediate the selective patterns (adaptive trajectories) that appear in different environments.

Genetic Variability in Domesticated Populations: In domestic species, artificial selection is expected acting on traits of human interest. We are interested in the genetic architecture of adaptation by domestication. Is selection on quantitative traits acting on the whole genome or instead acting on specific regions? Simulation studies can help to define the expectations under each hypothesis and to establish the statistical power to distinguish both hypotheses.

See more information at https://sites.google.com/view/sebas-ramos-onsins-lab