The project, titled COEVOLVE, brings together researchers from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and the Department of Culture and Society in a partnership aimed at providing a deeper understanding of how genetic and cultural changes are interconnected.

Through a multidisciplinary approach, the researchers will analyze both genetic data and archaeological findings from the same time period—specifically the hunter-gatherer period or the Paleolithic era—to reveal how human adaptations were shaped by environmental factors, such as the end of the Ice Age. The idea is to calculate biological and cultural phylogenies, or "family trees," from these two data types and then compare them.

"COEVOLVE has the potential to change the way we understand prehistory," say the two project leaders, who expect the project to contribute new perspectives on prehistoric migration, population development, and cultural changes, thus offering a better understanding of the processes that shape our genetic diversity.

"COEVOLVE is a dream project. The recent advances in data analytical methods and the volume of both paleogenetic and archaeological data make it now possible—and important—to investigate precisely if and to what extent biological and cultural evolution were linked," says Professor of Archaeology Felix Riede.

The goal of the research project is to use advanced computational models to create a new and more fundamental insight into how climatic, genetic, and cultural changes have influenced each other's development.

In addition to its scientific goals, the project is expected to push the boundaries of collaboration between archaeologists, geneticists, and climate researchers.

"It's fantastic to have a project that encourages—and requires—such a high degree of interdisciplinarity and gives equal weight to the different fields of research. We expect to learn a lot from each other while also gaining a deeper understanding of human biological and cultural evolution," says Professor of Bioinformatics, Mikkel Heide Schierup.

The research project is one of 10 projects receiving funding from this year’s Synergy Program, which aims to strengthen research opportunities at the intersection of computer science and other fields, such as the humanities or social sciences.

COEVOLVE will begin on February 1, 2025. In the spirit of interdisciplinarity, the project will hire two postdocs in bioinformatics and archaeology—job postings will be announced soon.

About the Villum Synergy Program:

• Villum Synergy aims to strengthen interdisciplinary, data-driven research and is targeted at researchers from computer science, statistics, or applied mathematics working in collaboration with researchers from a wide range of other fields.
• The program was established in 2019 to link computer science with other disciplines and strengthen excellent interdisciplinary research in Denmark.
• Tenured university researchers can apply for grants of 4 million DKK for initiation projects, mainly to start new collaborations or grants of 8-12 million DKK for well-established collaborations that could benefit from larger funding.
• Read more about the Villum Synergy Grant

For more information, contact:

• Professor Mikkel Heide Schierup: mheide@birc.au.dk
• Professor Felix Riede: f.riede@bio.au.dk