The rapid increase of the power of personal computers has led to the use of serious simulation programs such as easy POP in genetic studies. This book summarizes recent advances in forward-time simulation methods and demonstrates their applications in population genetics and genetic epidemiology. The authors introduce commonly used forward-time population genetics simulation methods, including some new methods, and introduce a forward-time population genetics simulation environment, simuPOP, as a powerful and flexible tool to implement these simulations. Researchers and students in population and statistical genetics will find this book useful.

Bo Peng, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Genetics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. With his degrees in applied mathematics and biostatistics, he is applying advanced computational techniques such as parallel computation and larger-scale simulations to research topics in population genetics, genetic epidemiology, and bioinformatics. Marek Kimmel, PhD, is Director of the Doctoral Program in Bioinformatics and Statistical Genetics and head of the Bioinformatics Group at Rice University. He holds joint appointments as Professor of Statistics at Rice University Professor of Biostatistics and Applied Mathematics at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Professor of Biometry, at The University of Texas School of Public Health. Christopher I. Amos, PhD, is a professor, in the Department of Genetics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He also holds adjunct appointments at Rice University and in the Department of Epidemiology at The University of Texas School of Public Health.