McMaster Ancient DNA News

Among the fossils of hitherto unknown mammals that Darwin collected in South America between 1832 and 1833 during the Beagle expedition were examples of the large, heavily armored herbivores later known as glyptodonts. Ever since, glyptodonts have fascinated evolutionary biologists because of their remarkable skeletal adaptations and seemingly isolated phylogenetic position even within their natural group, the cingulate xenarthrans (armadillos and their allies). In possessing a carapace comprised of fused osteoderms, the glyptodonts were clearly related to other cingulates, but their precise phylogenetic position as suggested by morphology remains unresolved.

A review of the processes undertaken in Ancient DNA studies - from sample to data analysis.

A comparative analysis on DNA repair/recovery methodologies to increase the amount of recoverable material.

Graduate students Emil Karpinski and Jonathan Hughes resolve lingering misidentification questions surrounding Boaz and Anderson Mills mastodons.

With an international team of collaborators, the McMaster Ancient DNA Centre is pleased to report the first complete genome sequences of two Siberian woolly mammoths.

Everyone at the McMaster aDNA Centre would like to congratulate Nathalie Mouttham for the successful completion of her MSc defence.

The entire McMaster Ancient DNA Centre would like to congratulate Alison Devault for the successful completion of her PhD thesis defence.

The entire McMaster aDNA Centre would like to extend its congratulations to Jake Enk for the successful completion of his PhD thesis defence.

Graduate student Alison Devault's interview about the Microbial Detection Arrary (MDA) on the Matt Holmes Show.