View the Spring Special Event panel on ancient DNA hosted by the ARF.
On April 10, 2023 six prominent scholars from across campus gathered at the ARF and presented briefly on their work then discussed the prospects for further ancient DNA work at UC Berkeley.
Revolutionizing the Study of our Evolutionary Past: Current Research in Ancient DNA at UC Berkeley
ARF Special Spring Lecture 2023
Host: Archaeological Research Facility, UC Berkeley
Abstract: Ancient DNA analysis has transformed studies of evolutionary biology and population genetics by providing a direct way to assay genetic variation that existed in the past. Over the past decade, there have been more than 10,000 ancient human genomes and hundreds of ancient non-human genomes sequenced. This has provided numerous insights into human migrations, the historical dynamics and distribution of genes associated to human adaptation and disease, species extinctions and invasions, and the domestication of plants and animals, and has proved to be an undeniably powerful resource for studies of evolution. Moreover, this field has opened up new avenues of investigation such as soil sequencing, analysis of ancient microbiomes, and pathogen evolution, among others. This panel of diverse Berkeley investigators will highlight ancient DNA research currently underway across the UC Berkeley campus. Following brief presentations, the panelists will take part in a moderated discussion addressing the promises and challenges of ancient DNA research and the future of such work at UC Berkeley.
Sponsor(s): Archaeological Research Facility
Panelist/Discussant: Priya Moorjani, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Center for Computational Biology
Panelist/Discussant: Benjamin Blackman, Plant & Microbial Biology and Integrative Biology
Panelist/Discussant: Elena Zavala, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Center for Computational Biology
Panelist/Discussant: Peter Sudmant, Department of Integrative Biology
Panelist/Discussant: Terrence Deacon, Department of Anthropology
Moderator: Rasmus Nielsen , Department of Integrative Biology