BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:icalendar-ruby
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
X-WR-CALNAME:"Understanding the Microbial History of the Pacific Islands: I
 nsights on Human Adaptations to New Environments" 
X-WR-TIMEZONE:Pacific Time (US & Canada)
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260710T234211Z
UID:tag:localist.com\,2008:EventInstance_41615877745812
DTSTART:20221202T000000Z
DTEND:20221202T010000Z
DESCRIPTION:The settlement of the Eastern Pacific (the “Polynesian triang
 le” from Hawaii to Rapa Nui to Aotearoa New Zealand) represents the last
  great phase of prehistoric human exploration and expansion. Despite this 
 incredible feat\, we know incredibly little about immediate and long-term 
 post-arrival impacts on human physiology and health. Arrival in unique loc
 ations with varied access to resources\, new disease exposures\, and alter
 ed diets likely resulted in differential adaptive strategies across distin
 ct archipelagos.\n\nA new method – assessing ancient oral microbiomes wi
 thin calcified dental plaque (calculus) – can provide insights into how 
 humans adapted to new environments. Here\, we sequenced ancient DNA preser
 ved within dental calculus from three different Pacific Island Nations (Pa
 lau\, Tahiti\, and Aotearoa) in concert with local collaborators and commu
 nities. Distinct oral microbial communities were linked to the arrival in 
 Central-East Polynesia\, as well as settlement on individual archipelagos 
 (i.e.\, in Tahiti)\, suggesting that settling in new locations may have al
 tered microbes within these Ancestors. A key oral species within the Anaer
 olineaceae family also corroborated large-scale patterns of human migratio
 n\, suggesting that these microbial signatures can potentially be leverage
 d to identify Pacific Islander Ancestors with minimally destructive sampli
 ng approaches. Overall\, our work reveals how microbial signatures in Ance
 stors can illuminate novel insights into human adaptation to new environme
 nts.\n\nPresentation by Dr. Laura Weyrich\, associate professor of anthrop
 ology at Penn State University.
GEO:44.042918;-123.06807
LOCATION:Museum of Natural and Cultural History
SUMMARY:"Understanding the Microbial History of the Pacific Islands: Insigh
 ts on Human Adaptations to New Environments" 
URL;VALUE=URI:https://calendar.uoregon.edu/event/understanding_the_microbia
 l_history_of_the_pacific_islands_insights_on_human_adaptations_to_new_envi
 ronments_dr_laura_weyrich
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations
CATEGORIES:Presentation
CATEGORIES:Arts & Culture
CATEGORIES:Exhibit
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR