When you can actually look into the past. Ancient DNA in studying evolution and population history.

Dr Martyna Molak

Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

Date: Wednesday, 10.04.2019, 13:00, Cent Lecture Theatre 0142                                         How to get there: Lecture theatre 0142 is c. ~15 meters to the right after entering CeNT

In genetic studies, making inferences regarding the past of studied populations usually requires an extrapolation of observations made on the current gene pool while making several assumptions regarding the genetic continuity through time. Many factors, however, can distort genetic continuity between the past and the present of a population, thus potentially leading us to incomplete or even incorrect conclusions when inferring about the past. Ancient DNA – genetic material isolated from organic remains, often dating back thousands of years – enables us to obtain information on the actual historical genetic make up of a studied population. Almost like a time machine, ancient DNA allows us to observe changes in the gene pool in real time and reveals demographic, biogeographical and evolutionary processes, otherwise concealed in the genetic variation of the current population.

In my talk I will demonstrate the possibilities of using ancient DNA to explore historical biogeography, demography and population genetics as well as to improve phylogenetic inferences. I will present examples from the research projects I was involved in, which cover various ancient human populations, Palaeolithic mammals, as well as disease-bearing microorganisms and viruses.