Human DNA Analysis from Ancient to Historical Times – HIAG Talk
The world-renowned Sanger Wellcome institute is on our doorstep. Hear how ancient DNA analysis throws new insights including on Human-Neanderthal contacts, Saxon peoples, and even the crusaders!
Human DNA Analysis from Ancient to Historical Times – throwing surprising light on our past with Dr Mical Szpak, Research Associate at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge at 7:30pm on Monday 8th February 2021
Not so long ago, it would have seemed incredible to think that DNA could be recovered from skeletons that are thousands of years old. Yet analysis of such DNA is a modern reality – happening in a world centre research campus just a few miles from our village. With findings that not only complement those from archaeology and related disciplines but sometimes also challenging them. Dr Mical Szpak will take us on a journey into this world with new insights into human-Neanderthal contacts, middle east peoples, Anglo-Saxon migration, and the crusaders!
Biography:
Michal studied ancient DNA of extinct Pleistocene mammals for his BSc degree and subsequently moved to bioinformatics and exploration of human genetic variation across different ethnicities in his master’s degree research at the Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia. He joined the human evolution team at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in 2012 and received his PhD in human population genetics from the University of Cambridge. His doctoral and postdoctoral work at the Sanger focused on positive selection and genetic adaptations in humans. He investigates the link between genetic variants and diverse adaptive traits found in human populations around the world. He joined European Bioinformatics Institute in 2019 and continues to deliver bioinformatic training worldwide.
Talk abstract:
Ancient DNA studies have revolutionised the field of human evolutionary genetics and transformed the understanding of our past. Direct access to ancient human genomes has shown that the human demographic history is more complex than inferred from the DNA of present-day people alone. Not only does DNA research complement archaeological studies, but also captures signatures of past demographic events impossible to recognise from examining bones alone. In this lecture he will talk about the biggest revelations in the field of ancient DNA ranging from human-Neanderthal contacts 55,000 years ago, to the formation of the European genetic makeup about 4,500 years ago, Anglo-Saxon migration to British Isles in the 5th century AD and ethnic origin of Crusaders from 13th century. He will take a look at Iron Age and Anglo-Saxon skeletons excavated from the ground of the Wellcome Genome Campus site itself in Hinxton, and at Oakington and Linton – to show what can be learnt about population migration and the genetic composition of modern Britons.
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