Editors: Manuela Lima, Amanda Ramos, Cristina Santos

Series Title: Anthropology : Current and Future Developments

Genomics in Biological Anthropology: New Challenges, New Opportunities

Volume 2

eBook: US $39 Special Offer (PDF + Printed Copy): US $151
Printed Copy: US $131
Library License: US $156
ISSN: 2405-7703 (Print)
ISSN: 2405-7711 (Online)
ISBN: 978-1-68108-386-5 (Print)
ISBN: 978-1-68108-385-8 (Online)
Year of Publication: 2016
DOI: 10.2174/97816810838581160201

Introduction

Molecular methodologies are crucial to our understanding of human population diversity, as well as our evolutionary relationships with nonhuman primates. The completion of the Human Genome Project has given researchers a complete human reference sequence of genes. Combined with very important advances in sequencing and bioinformatics technologies, genetic research projects are now of a multidisciplinary nature. Anthropologists have the tools to seek information related to questions concerning the origin of the human species. Genomics in Biological Anthropology: New Challenges, New Opportunities explores the impact of new advances in molecular methods, such as DNA sequencing, amplification and analysis on our knowledge about the genetics of prehistoric and existing humans. Topics covered in this volume include an overview of genomic projects, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis, ancient DNA, mutation rates in chromosome Y, genomics of isolated populations, complex phenotypes and forensic anthropology.

This volume is a concise primer for students and general readers learning the basics about human genetics, human evolution and biological anthropology.

Foreword

The Genome science encompasses many scientific areas and is essential to advancing knowledge of different disciplines as Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Medicine and Biological Anthropology, among others. With respect to this last discipline, the understanding of our place in nature has benefited in recent years of the Genomic research that is being essential in the analysis of the biological origin of our species, and to measure in a more precise way human biological variation. The main genome projects have had a great impact in Biological Anthropology, and the anthropological studies are benefiting more and more from the genomic data. The developments in genome bioinformatics and computational biology have helped make the advances possible in the field of Anthropological Genetics, as well as in Forensic Anthropology and the population studies. Briefly, the current genomic revolution constitutes a turning point in our understanding of human evolution, and a fascinating insight into what can be revealed from the study of genomes.

The book deals with the genomic approaches in Biological Anthropology and how the DNA markers can provide insight into the processes of evolution and human variability; in addition, explanations of the technological developments and how they affect the fields of Forensic sciences and population studies are shown, alongside the methods of field investigations and their contribution to the Molecular Anthropology. But in turn, this volume reveals how the modern Anthropology can contribute to redefine the ways we have come to understand the genetic issues.

This volume, written by experts in their respective field, provides a rigorous overview about a subject so promising like Genomics and its present and future applications in the study of Human Biology. Through the different chapters authors are providing essential information for the area of Biological Anthropology that could change the traditional vision in this field and contribute to resolve numerous anthropological questions that have not yet been answered.

Esther Rebato
Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology
University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU)
Bilbao
Spain
E-mail: esther.rebato@ehu.es


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