Seminar "New life for old bones - medical aDNA research"

Ecology and Evolution Unit (Mikheyev Unit) would like to invite you to a seminar by Prof. Krause-Kyora from the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University.

Title: "New life for old bones - medical aDNA research"

Abstract:

Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases is an important topic in modern health care. By connecting archaeological and ancient DNA (aDNA) records about epidemic pathogens in ancient populations we are able to provide relevant information concerning modern infectious diseases. This can help to understand factors in epidemics, such as the sources of pathogens and their routes of introduction and transmission among human populations in the long term. Ancient DNA analysis has drastically expanded the scope of palaeopathology as full genomic investigations are now feasible. The greatest advantages of today's aDNA studies of infectious disease are the possibility to reliably identify a pathogen and to reconstruct its genome sequence, the identification of transmission and virulence factors likely to cause extreme symptoms at the individual level and/or population level and tracing genomic changes in a pathogen through time, reconstructing its evolutionary history. The presentation will summarize the evidence obtained by aDNA research about the origin and spread of pathogens and the host-pathogen co-evolution.

We hope to see many of you at the seminar.