Project description
Insight into bone preservation and ancient DNA
Bone preservation, investigation and analysis are key to archaeological and anthropological studies. Improving our understanding of the processes behind them is crucial for enhanced accuracy and novel breakthroughs. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the DIAGENESI project aims to broaden our understanding of bone preservation in relation to ancient DNA (aDNA) survival. This will improve the identification of suitable bone samples for genetic investigations, preventing the destruction of valuable samples and enhancing the speed, precision and cost-effectiveness of studying aDNA. The project will use a novel archaeometric methodology, conducting a transdisciplinary study on modern, subfossil and fossil bones and their interactions with various soils and paleoenvironmental conditions.
Objective
The DIAGENESI project primarily aims to provide a deeper understanding of bone preservation related to ancient DNA (aDNA) survival. This will be crucial for developing, through an intersectorial transfer of knowledge, a rapid, precise, cost-effective, and affordable pre-screening protocol, enabling the precise selection of promising bone samples for genetic investigations, thus preventing unnecessary destruction of valuable samples. Post-mortem changes are complex multifactorial processes that act on the bone structure in a variable and unpredictable way over time. To date, the DNA-bioapatite or DNA-collagen interactions are poorly investigated and preferential sites for DNA preservation are still debated. This has only been partially addressed in the literature, and there is not full agreement on the topic or how the site-specific variability of aDNA yields occurs. With an innovative archaeometric methodology by means of a multianalytical approach, I will carry out a transdisciplinary study on fossil, subfossil and modern bones, their intimate interaction with soils, and their response to different paleoenvironmental conditions. Different burial and environmental conditions diagenetically affect in different ways the preservation of the bones and, consequently, of the biomolecules. Thus, various archaeological contexts subjected to different climate conditions will be selected and contextualized temporally and spatially, enabling the formulation of models and prescreening protocols of general validity. This study will provide fundamental advances in genomic, forensic, and paleoanthropological studies, allowing the profitable exploitation of the bone collections with archaeological, cultural and hystorical-medical values. The project entails a broad range of opportunities, favoring the development of new interdisciplinary research initiatives and consolidating the networking and cooperation with European and global research institutes.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
35122 PADOVA
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.