32nd Annual Student Research Conference
The Effect of Tribal Conflict on Human Genetic Markers
Megan N. Neveau* and Kelsey Lieberman
Dr. Jon Beck, Faculty Mentor
When two populations of humans come into conflict, there are changes in mating and migration patterns that have major anthropological significance. Through computational simulation of the evolution of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA in different conflict outcomes, we can build models of expected genetic signals of these outcomes. Here we specifically tune our model to identify signals based on differential mating and determine which parent's population the offspring remains a part of. We also explore the respective span of time the signals persist. When enough DNA, both ancient and modern, has been sequenced these models can be used to validate anthropological predictions of conflict dynamics. An important example of this conflict, addressed in this paper, is the colonization of Peru by the Spanish in the 16th century.
Keywords: genomics, modeling, simulation, mitochondrial, nuclear, conflict
Topic(s):Computer Science
Biology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 103-1
Location: BH 212
Time: 8:30