Project description
Preventing future lethal epidemics
Epidemics play a role in the evolution of humans. The big question is about how big or small this role is. The EU-funded SELECTIONDRIVEN project will answer this question by conducting extensive simulations. It will fill an important methodological gap by developing new statistical methods for detecting signatures of adaptive natural selection driven by lethal epidemics. By applying these new methods to genetic data from several recent epidemics, the project will investigate the role of epidemics in recent human evolution. Also, to gain insights into mechanisms that protect against infectious disease, it will identify the genetic variants that have been under selection (since they confer disease protection). The findings will assist in the prevention of future lethal epidemics like the Black Death.
Fields of science
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Funding Scheme
ERC-STG - Starting GrantHost institution
1165 Kobenhavn
Denmark
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Beneficiaries (1)
1165 Kobenhavn
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