The subfield of physical/biological anthropology that I wanted to explore in greater detail is molecular anthropology, because the study of DNA to determine evolutionary links between populations helps anthropologist understand how contemporary populations have developed overtime. One professional organization that has been doing research that is contributing to the field of molecular anthropology is the Human Genome Project. The HGP is an international scientific research project that’s goal is to map the entire homo sapiens genome. From an anthropological stand point knowing the genome can help in the analysis of closeness of relationships within populations.
One article titled “Human DNA Variation and Evolution: Lessons from mtDNA” discusses how the complete DNA sequence has allowed scientist to analyze and interpret DNA variations and evolution of humans. Not only this, but the knowledge the genome provides a more precise mapping method which allows for tracing the evolutionary history of particular human populations. The article adds that a complete DNA sequence has also made it easier for evolutionary comparison of other species. This can help molecular anthropologist with establishing an evolutionary tree for humans and other species.
Another article talks about the development of new technologies and how this is effecting molecular anthropology. Gathering large scale data in the past was difficult, but with automated, fluorescence-based sequencing, they are able to do large scale population analysis. This way researchers are not limited by the amount of data that can be gathered. Another technology that helps anthropologist is the Human Genome Projects is the preciseness of particular locus and the surrounding sequence. This can be used in explaining patterns of variation at a specific locus, while taking into account the surrounding sequence.
Lastly the HGP helps anthropologist through its diversity project. The diversity project is a proposal to systematically sample diverse populations around the world. Though not in effect yet, this system would help in human mapping and linkage studies. It would make it possible for one to accesses variation in whatever gene or DNA segment they were interested in studying.
Though molecular anthropology would still continue to exist whether the human genome project was constructed or not, it is fair to say that it has contributed greatly to the field. As a resource, the human genome project has helped in an organized, coordinated, efficient, and rational manner in producing DNA for anthropologist to study. Through this DNA molecular anthropologist will be able to determine evolutionary links between populations.
The Human Genome Project sounds like it is helping with making greats strides in this subfield. I particularly like the articles you chose for this post, as it covered two different ways in which their research is helping, and discussing the ways in which research and DNA can be looked at currently, and ways they are currently developing to look at DNA; how it can potentially advance greatly very soon. I wonder if you can answer this: Do you know how they choose groups of people to look at the DNA of and what kind of certain DNA would they look at to help determine an evolutionary history of certain subgroups of people and the evolutionary history of certain diseases and traits in people?If you could, I would also like to know more about how the HGP would further develop the diversity project including; how they would specifically go about sampling groups of people and where they would go about it.