********************Other******************** The Journal of Molecular Evolution is pleased to announce that the following paper has won the Zuckerkandl Prize for the top paper published in the journal in an issue released in the 2025 calendar year: Wu C, Paradis NJ, Jain K (2025) Substitution-mutation rate ratio (c/µ) as molecular adaptation test beyond Ka/Ks: a SARS-COV-2 case study. J Mol Evol 93:322–349. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-025-10248-6 Congratulations to Chun Wu from Rowan University for winning this award! We are also pleased to congratulate the runners up for their work on viral origins and evolution: Karki S, Barth ZK, Aylward FO (2025) Ancient host-virus gene transfer hints at a diverse pre-LECA virosphere. J Mol Evol 93:295–305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-025-10246-8 More details about the 2025 award can be found here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00239-026-10302-x. Thank you for your interest. David Liberles Editor-in-Chief Journal fo Molecular Evolution David A Liberles (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca) ********************WorkshopsCourses******************** Dear all,=20 We are pleased to announce the Physalia online course =93DNA Methylation in Ecology and Evolution=94, taking place 20=9624 April. Course website: https://www.physalia-courses.org/courses-workshops/dnamethylation/ This 5-day hands-on course provides a practical introduction to generating and analysing DNA methylation data at genome-wide, nucleotide resolution, with a strong focus on ecological and evolutionary applications, particularly in non-model organisms. We will cover short-read approaches (Illumina WGBS and EM-seq) as well as long-read methylation analysis with Oxford Nanopore, with discussion of PacBio data as well. Participants will work through complete analysis workflows, from raw sequencing data to biological interpretation, including differential methylation analyses and integration with genetic and gene expression data. For the full list of our courses and workshops, please visit: ( https://www.physalia-courses.org/courses-workshops/ ) Best regards, Carlo Carlo Pecoraro, Ph.D Physalia-courses DIRECTOR info@physalia-courses.org mobile: +49 17645230846 ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/physalia-courses-a64418127/ ) "info@physalia-courses.org" (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca) ********************WorkshopsCourses******************** Hello EVOLDIR members Last chance to join our 1-day seminar Causal AI for Real-World Data livestreaming January 19 with Meghann Gregg (Statistical Society of Canada). The Causal AI for Real-World Data seminar provides a practical toolkit for designing and defending causal analyses, which is highly relevant for understanding complex evolutionary dynamics. Participants will learn to construct Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) and apply modern estimation strategies in R and Python, skills invaluable for identifying causal genetic variants or environmental drivers of phenotypic evolution. This expertise will enable researchers to strengthen their inferences regarding evolutionary mechanisms, genetic pathways, and the causal factors shaping biodiversity. Sign up today (https://instats.org/seminar/causal-ai-for-real-world-data) to secure your spot, and please share this opportunity with colleagues and students who might benefit! Best wishes Michael Zyphur Professor and Director Instats | instats.org mzyphur@instats.org ********************WorkshopsCourses******************** The Computational Biology Core at the University of Connecticut is hosting virtual bioinformatics workshops this winter! We still have space available in our RNA-seq Analysis Workshop (virtual but live instruction - Feb. 24-26). This hands-on workshop will guide participants through the complete RNA-seq analysis workflow using a reference genome and annotation. You'll learn about experimental design, high-throughput sequencing basics, quality control, alignment, differential expression analysis, and gene ontology/gene set enrichment?using real datasets and widely used tools. A self-guided introduction to Linux, HPC, and R will be provided two weeks before the workshop to ensure participants are ready to dive in. Learn more & register here: [https://bioinformatics.uconn.edu/cbc-workshops/] WHERE: Virtual (MS Teams) WHEN: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM EST COST: $400 (UConn affiliates)/$500 (External participants) Registration is first come, first served. Questions? E-mail: cbcsupport@helpspotmail.com zsc25001@uconn.edu (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca) ********************Conferences******************** 2026 ISEMPH Meeting in Kiel, Germany We would like to invite everyone interested in Evolutionary Medicine to the 2026 ISEMPH Meeting in Kiel! Where? =96 Kiel, Northern Germany (directly on the coast of the Baltic Sea) When? =96 July 28-31, 2026 What? - The annual meeting of the International Society of Evolutionary Medicine and Public Health (ISEMPH) Registration and abstract submission are now open! Please find all information on the meeting website: https://isemph.org/page-18356. As usual we will offer talks, symposia, panel discussions, and plenty of opportunities to network and meet friends. A number of travel awards will be available to students that submit an abstract. We will update the website regularly with information about the program and the keynote speakers, so please stay tuned! Important dates: February 1, 2026: Travel award application deadline March 1, 2026: Abstract submission deadline and travel award decision announcement April 1, 2026: Abstract decision announcement April 15, 2026: Early-bird registration deadline June 15, 2026: Regular registration deadline Please join us in Kiel, Northern Germany, to hear and discuss your work and other most recent findings of our field! Please also spread the above information to everyone who works on or is generally interested in Evolutionary Medicine! We are looking forward to seeing you all in Kiel! Charles Nunn (ISEMPH president), Nicole Bender (ISEMPH manager) Misty Thomas, Michelle Blyth (Program committee) John Baines, Barbara Cania, Hinrich Schulenburg (Local committee Kiel) Hinrich Schulenburg (he/him) Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics Christian-Albrechts-Universitaet zu Kiel Am Botanischen Garten 9 24118 Kiel Germany Tel: +49-431-880-4143/4141 Email: hschulenburg@zoologie.uni-kiel.de Web: www.evoecogen-kiel.de/ Hinrich Schulenburg (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca)