Evolution & Ancient DNA: people and ideas

Evolution is central to understanding biology – “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution,” said Dobzhansky. In this talk, Professor Craig Millar explores how ancient DNA analyses has developed into a well-established research field of broad interest to anthropologists, ecologists and evolutionary biologists.

He will discuss key studies in the field, specifically focusing on genetics and ancient DNA's contribution to our understanding of evolution. He will also introduce the emerging field of ethomics. The lecture concludes with an alternative view of the organism and the future directions of his field of research.

Professor Craig Millar is a geneticist at the University of Auckland, specializing in conservation, genomics, and ancient DNA. He is currently the Academic Group Leader for Cellular, Molecular and Physiology Biology research group.

His research has been widely supported and featured in public media. Craig is also part of the Aulin College program, a joint venture between the University of Auckland and North East Forestry University (NEFU) in China. He has mentored and supervised numerous students and researchers.