Ancient DNA & Population Genomics - ADNA

The ADNA group investigates the evolution of wild and domesticated species, and the long-term dynamics of ecosystems, by combining theoretical approaches from population genetics with empirical analysis of genetic data – particularly ancient DNA extracted from archaeological and museum collections. This research is supported by privileged access to the state-of-the-art, ultra-clean ancient DNA laboratory at Associação Biopolis/CIBIO, a pioneering molecular biology facility in Portugal.

Our team brings together researchers from diverse academic backgrounds – including biology, archaeology, anthropology, or computer science – to foster a genuinely interdisciplinary research environment. We also benefit from a strong international network of collaborators, including institutions such as the University of Oxford, the Max Planck Society, or the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA.

ADNA’s research currently focuses on the following core thematic areas:

• Human Evolution: We integrate ancient DNA with genomic data from modern populations to unravel the deep history of human migrations, demographic changes, and adaptive evolution. Our research focuses particularly on the initial dispersals of anatomically modern humans out of Africa, their interactions with now-extinct hominins during the Pleistocene, and the complex population histories of regions such as Island Southeast Asia and the Iberian Peninsula.

• Ecosystem recontruction: By analyzing genetic material preserved in sediments and ice cores, we investigate how long-term climatic fluctuations have influenced ecological dynamics and the evolution of life across different environments and timescales. We place special focus on extreme and vulnerable ecosystems, in particular Antarctica, to understand past biodiversity responses to environmental change.

• Domestication & Human-Faunal Interactions: We study the genetic consequences of domestication and the long-term co-evolution between humans and animals from ancient DNA records. This includes tracing the origins and spread of domestic species, identifying selection signatures associated with traits of interest, and examining the broader ecological and cultural impacts of domestication events. Our work also explores the role of human mobility, trade, and environmental change in shaping the evolutionary trajectories of domestic animals and their wild relatives.

• Conservation Genomics: By integrating time-series data from ancient and historical DNA with modern genomic approaches and population genetics theory, we aim to inform current biodiversity conservation strategies. Our work helps reconstructing demographic histories, population structure, and patterns of adaptation of endangered species, providing crucial evolutionary context for their preservation and management.

• Museomics: We unlock the genetic potential of museum and natural history collections to investigate temporal genomic change, improve taxonomic classifications, and assess specimen provenance. Our research seeks to enrich reference datasets for extinct, endangered, or poorly documented species, and expand our understanding of the evolutionary process through time.

The ADNA team is deeply committed to interdisciplinary research and to fostering dialogue between the life sciences, arts and humanities, to reconstruct the biological and cultural past. Our members bring expertise from a variety of fields, and we maintain active collaborations with institutions that champion interdisciplinary approaches to bridge disciplinary boundaries and generate a more holistic understanding of the interplay between human history, biodiversity, and environmental change.