Tuesday 11 December 2018 16:00 – 17:00 Seminar Room 1
” Overcoming challenges of ancient DNA analysis ”
Dr. Nikolaos Psonis Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB)
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed a revolution in ancient DNA (aDNA) research. Although the focus of the field was previously limited to mitochondrial DNA and a few nuclear markers, whole genome sequences from the past can now be harnessed. This became possible via the massive sequence throughput of Next Generation Sequencing platforms and the ability to target short and degraded DNA molecules. Many ancient specimens previously unsuitable for DNA analyses because of extensive degradation can now successfully be used as source materials. Additionally, contamination issues that have haunted aDNA research for decades, particularly in human studies, can now be efficiently and confidently quantified. As such, the field of aDNA has entered the new era of genomics and has provided valuable information when testing specific hypotheses related to the past.