UW scientists study DNA to gain insight of regional human populations

Amelia Havanec • Jan 12, 2018

Jan 12, 2018

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                <h1>UW scientists study DNA to gain insight of regional human populations</h1>
                <h2><p>It may seem as if we live in a new-pangea world — a melting pot of mixed ethnicities compared to just thousands of years ago. But a study published today in Science and led by UW scientists found that regional human populations still differ from one another through their genes — and</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/amelia-havanec-crosscut-com/">Amelia Havanec</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Jan 12, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>It may seem as if we live in a new-pangea world — a melting pot of mixed ethnicities compared to just thousands of years ago. But a study published today in <i><a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2015/08/05/science.aab3761.full?sid=2ec1c956-dfac-4a26-965f-47fccdee8014&ref=avalancheghost.one">Science</a> </i>and led by <a href="http://hsnewsbeat.uw.edu/story/populations-diversity-linked-lossgain-dna-blocks?ref=avalancheghost.one">UW scientists</a> found that regional human populations still differ from one another through their genes — and not just by DNA mutations, but more influential is the deletion or duplication of particular DNA segments in cells responsible for reproduction. This kind of remodeling of DNA strands is a major contributor to differences in the human genome as our ancestors needed to adapt to shifting environmental stressors. Scientists essentially now have a “Google Maps” version of genetic variances to further study how humans evolved, migrated and diversified, or why some populations are persisting targets of disease.</p>
          </article>

It may seem as if we live in a new-pangea world — a melting pot of mixed ethnicities compared to just thousands of years ago. But a study published today in Science and led by UW scientists found that regional human populations still differ from one another through their genes — and not just by DNA mutations, but more influential is the deletion or duplication of particular DNA segments in cells responsible for reproduction. This kind of remodeling of DNA strands is a major contributor to differences in the human genome as our ancestors needed to adapt to shifting environmental stressors. Scientists essentially now have a “Google Maps” version of genetic variances to further study how humans evolved, migrated and diversified, or why some populations are persisting targets of disease.

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By Amelia Havanec

Amelia Havanec is Crosscut's Science and Tech Fellow. She came to Washington from her home state of Connecticut by way of New York, Florida, California and Michigan in pursuit of the perfect pint. Sh