Willerslev Group researches human migration, evolution and disease evolution.
Section for GeoGenetics
The Section for GeoGenetic operates in the cross-field between genetics, geology and archaeology.
The section uses genomic, metagenomic and mineralogy to study evolution, human-environment interaction, past climate- and environments, diseases, speciation and ecological processes, and animal domestication. The section uses state-of-the-art technologies to break scientific boundaries, and our research questions are founded on cross disciplinary research.
Head of Section: Professor Kurt H. Kjær
Our research aims are to improve current methodologies within ancient genomics by optimizing protocols and develop novel, fast computational and statistical tools in order to address important scientific questions. We accomplish this, using multi-disciplinary approaches both from the diverse research within the section as well as a range of collaborators. Our main techniques include DNA extraction and sequencing, bioinformatics, sedimentology, molecular geobiology Quaternary climate, and archaeology.
The first published ancient human genome:
Ancient human genome sequence of an extinct Palaeo-Eskimo: Rasmussen et al. 2010
Large scale genomics:
137 ancient human genomes from across the Eurasian steppes: Damgaard, et al. 2018
Ancient human pathogen:
Early divergent strains of Yersinia pestis in Eurasia 5,000 years ago – Rasmussen et al. 2015
See full list of publications