Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL140100260
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,775,898.00
Summary
Using ancient microbiomes and genomes to reconstruct human history. Using ancient microbiomes and genomes to reconstruct human history. This project aims to generate unique insights into the processes and history that produced the current distribution of modern humans and the bacteria we carry with us (our microbiome). The project will use combined signals of bacterial, genomic and climate data to reconstruct the impacts of migrations, changes in diet, environment, and health in different parts ....Using ancient microbiomes and genomes to reconstruct human history. Using ancient microbiomes and genomes to reconstruct human history. This project aims to generate unique insights into the processes and history that produced the current distribution of modern humans and the bacteria we carry with us (our microbiome). The project will use combined signals of bacterial, genomic and climate data to reconstruct the impacts of migrations, changes in diet, environment, and health in different parts of the world. A key aspect will be the creation of a program to map the genetic history of indigenous Australia, and the impacts of colonisation on indigenous people around the world. Research advances will be transferred to Early Career Researchers through an innovative program of workshops, and the resulting data will be used to create a new format for Australian genetic databases.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101574
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$368,583.00
Summary
Evolution and Adaptation of the Human Microbiome. The bacteria within the human body (microbiome) are vital to human health, and alterations to these intricate microbial communities are now associated with disease. Using ancient DNA, this project aims to examine the evolutionary history of the human microbiome by exploring ancient bacterial communities preserved in calcified dental plaque (calculus) over the past 10 000 years. This will provide valuable information that reveals how these bacteri ....Evolution and Adaptation of the Human Microbiome. The bacteria within the human body (microbiome) are vital to human health, and alterations to these intricate microbial communities are now associated with disease. Using ancient DNA, this project aims to examine the evolutionary history of the human microbiome by exploring ancient bacterial communities preserved in calcified dental plaque (calculus) over the past 10 000 years. This will provide valuable information that reveals how these bacterial communities respond to alterations in human diet, environment, culture, and location. By monitoring changes in a natural modern system, this project aims to determine how these microbial communities established themselves within the human body, elucidating how the microbiome may respond in the future.Read moreRead less
Stories from the past: the impact of industrialisation on the human microbiome. This project aims to explore the history and origin of ‘Industrial’ diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and autism. Non-communicable, ‘Industrial’ diseases are rising at an alarming rate in Australia, and changes to the beneficial microorganisms within the human body (microbiota) may be to blame. This project will explore how human microbiota have changed over the past 100 years in response to cultural, ....Stories from the past: the impact of industrialisation on the human microbiome. This project aims to explore the history and origin of ‘Industrial’ diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and autism. Non-communicable, ‘Industrial’ diseases are rising at an alarming rate in Australia, and changes to the beneficial microorganisms within the human body (microbiota) may be to blame. This project will explore how human microbiota have changed over the past 100 years in response to cultural, environmental, and lifestyle factors linked with Industrialisation. This approach will allow stories from the past to inform modern medical treatment strategies and public health decisions in the future. The project will identify changes in environment, diet, hygiene, and medicine that have altered human microbiota in the past and sparked the Industrial disease epidemic in Australia today.Read moreRead less
Ochre archaeomicrobiology: a new tool for understanding Aboriginal exchange. This project aims to identify the origins and movements of Australian archaeological ochre through the development of a novel tool combining genomic and chemical analysis. The geographic distribution of Australian ochre is closely linked to Aboriginal creation stories, while its physical distribution by people is evidence of cultural cooperation. Using this new archaeomicrobiological technique, the project aims to answe ....Ochre archaeomicrobiology: a new tool for understanding Aboriginal exchange. This project aims to identify the origins and movements of Australian archaeological ochre through the development of a novel tool combining genomic and chemical analysis. The geographic distribution of Australian ochre is closely linked to Aboriginal creation stories, while its physical distribution by people is evidence of cultural cooperation. Using this new archaeomicrobiological technique, the project aims to answer significant questions about past human behaviour, in terms of trade, cultural interactions, territoriality and colonisation. The method also has the potential to benefit traditional owners by contributing to repatriation projects. The collaborative detailed recording, sampling and analysis of ochre sources on traditional lands will also assist Aboriginal communities to manage this important aspect of their cultural heritage.Read moreRead less