The Archaeogenomics group uses advanced molecular techniques applied directly to ancient samples of archaeological origin. In particular, the group generates complete genomes from ancient individuals using next-generation sequencing technologies, paired with advanced bioinformatics processing pipelines to investigate aspects of genetic relationships and geographical origins at different scales.

At a macroscopic level, the group will focus on reconstructing the European genetic population history at different chronologies to determine if potential genetic changes are correlated with past events inferred by archaeological or historical records, and how the interaction between populations occurred.

At a more detailed scale, the group focuses on using genomics and a series of molecular methods to infer close biological relationships among individuals at intra-site level. In this case, genomic data will be co-analysed with isotopic data and archaeological data from excavations to shed light on aspects related to the social organization, as well as the particularities of their funerary organization.

Principal Investigator

Vanessa Villalba Mouco

Villalba Mouco, Vanessa
Ramón y Cajal Researcher
Archaeogenomics

Group Members

Georgina Martí i Renau

Martí i Renau, Georgina
Laboratory Technician
Archaeogenomics

Ongoing projects

Publications

Villalba-Mouco V, Oliart C, Rihuete-Herrada C, Childebayeva A, Rohrlach AB, Fregeiro MI, Celdrán Beltrán E, Velasco-Felipe C, Aron F, Himmel M, Freund C, Alt KW, Salazar-García DC, García Atiénzar G, de Miguel Ibáñez MP, Hernández Pérez MS, Barciela V, Romero A, Ponce J, Martínez A, Lomba J, Soler J, Martínez AP, Avilés Fernández A, Haber-Uriarte M, Roca de Togores Muñoz C, Olalde I, Lalueza-Fox C, Reich D, Krause J, García Sanjuán L, Lull V, Micó R, Risch R, Haak W. 2021. Genomic transformation and social organization during the Copper Age–Bronze Age transition in southern Iberia. Science Advances, 7(47):22-27. DOI:10.1126/sciadv.abi7038

Villalba-Mouco V, van de Loosdrecht MS, Rohrlach AB, Fewlass H, Talamo S, Yu H, Aron F, Lalueza-Fox C, Cabello L, Cantalejo Duarte P, Ramos-Muñoz J, Posth C, Krause J, Weniger GC, Haak W. 2023. A 23,000-year-old southern Iberian individual links human groups that lived in Western Europe before and after the Last Glacial Maximum. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 7(4):597-609. DOI:10.1038/s41559-023-01987-0