ERC Starting Grant · 2024
Exploring natural selection due to the Black Death and continuous human population genetic structure
The study of ancient human DNA has been revolutionary in identifying large-scale admixtures and genetic variants subject to natural selection. Yet, key knowledge gaps persist. First, ongoing genetic mixing within spatially continuous populations is poorly understood. Second, the underlying selective pressures, particularly of infectious diseases, remain debated. To bridge both gaps, I propose sequencing 500 victims of the Black Death, one of the deadliest pandemics in human history, from a site in Central Europe and using this data synergistically with novel computational tools to make two breakthroughs. My first objective is to pioneer linking a large number of ancient and modern genomes…
From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.