Affiliation: Professor at Department of Biology, Lund University

Research focus

Tobias Uller studies evolution through an integrative framework linking development, physiology, behaviour, and ecology, informed by mathematical modelling and conceptual analysis. Using lizards and water fleas, his work combines experiments, genomics, and field studies to examine phenotypic plasticity, extra-genetic inheritance, and evolution via introgressive hybridization. 

Additionally he is part of the VDSEE Scientific Advisory Board!

Philosophy of Science for Biologists

Abstract

Philosophy of science is not only about grand old theories of how science works. It is about reflecting on assumptions, concepts, theories and methodologies in a structured way. By doing so, we become better equipped to identify questions that really matter and interact constructively with others to formulate answers. The goal is not become philosophers, but to become better scientists.

Affiliation: National Research Center on Human Evolution (CENIEH)

Research focus

Samantha is Head of the Molecular Palaeobiology Laboratory at the National Research Center on Human Evolution (CENIEH) in Burgos, Spain, where she leads research in archaeo- and palaeoproteomics. Her work focuses on developing and applying ZooMS and related proteomic methods to archaeological and palaeontological materials, integrating zooarchaeology and molecular approaches to study fragmented bone assemblages.

Palaeoproteomics and the palaeontological record: using ZooMS to understand degradation and preservation in proteins

Abstract

The advent of palaeoproteomics, the study of ancient proteins, has led to a revolution in the analysis of biomolecules in the palaeontological record. The native robusticity of proteins allows for the biomolecular analysis of bones across hundreds of thousands, if not millions of years. One of the major techniques in palaeoproteomics, ZooMS, has become an invaluable to the archaeological science toolkit; allowing for the rapid and reliable taxonomic identification of bone, teeth, feathers, fur, parchment, ivory, shell, and eggshell. ZooMS is undergoing a new wave of technological advancement, moving beyond taxonomic identification to aid in our understanding of protein preservation through deep-time. Large ZooMS studies have produced a wealth of data that can be mined using increasingly sophisticated programs, providing an invaluable record of protein degradation through time. Here, we discuss the utility of this data and the role of ZooMS in understanding damage patterns in ancient proteins. We discuss how these datasets can be used to further our understanding of both our hominin ancestors and the deep-time preservation of their remains. 

 Program

 Talks