Speaker: Dr. Pontus Skoglund (The Francis Crick Institute)
Title: Learning about evolution from ancient genomes
Where: Anatomy G04 Gavin de Beer LT, UCL (Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT)
When: 24th April 2018, 17:30
Abstract:
Evolution is defined as genetic change through time, and the only direct way to study such temporal processes in humans and other populations over longer time scales is through ancient DNA sequencing. In the past few years, ancient genomics has begun to fulfil its promise to revolutionise our understanding of the human past, and I will discuss current paradigms for authenticating, analysing, and interpreting ancient genomes. I will also provide examples from our recent research on the identification of selective sweeps and polygenic evolution using data from populations at different points in time, and how hypotheses about population history be tested directly with ancient DNA, such as during the spread of agriculture in Europe, Oceania, and Africa.
