Project description
Palaeoproteomics for hominid evolution
A few decades ago, ancient DNA sequencing revolutionised research on the evolution and migration of archaic humans. More recent advances in palaeoproteomics (mass spectrometry-based ancient protein sequencing) combined with bioinformatic solutions have enabled similar progress in knowledge from molecular-based evolutionary reconstructions for species that became extinct millions of years ago. The EU-funded BACKWARD project aims to tackle the long-debated phylogenetic reconstruction of African and Asian hominins by developing and deploying a new generation of palaeoproteomic workflows. It will use state-of-the-art mass spectrometry and bioinformatics to address the phylogenetic relationships between South African early hominins and the hominid palaeobiodiversity in Southeast Asia. The project will bring substantial advances in palaeoanthropology, palaeontology, palaeoecology and archaeology.
Objective
BACKWARD will address major unsettled debates about African and Asian extinct hominid phylogeny, by developing and deploying a new generation of palaeoproteomic workflows, relying on the most advanced mass spectrometry and bioinformatic solutions currently available. Ancient DNA (aDNA) sequencing revolutionised our knowledge on evolution, migration and admixture of archaic and anatomically modern humans. However, no hominid aDNA older than ~0.4 million years has been retrieved yet. Ancient proteins instead survive much longer than aDNA, enabling molecular-based phylogeny beyond the limits of aDNA degradation. Recently, mass spectrometry (MS)-based ancient protein sequencing, i.e. palaeoproteomics, convincingly demonstrated its transformative value, enabling molecular-based evolutionary reconstructions for species that went extinct millions of years ago. BACKWARD will use palaeoproteomics to address: (i) the phylogenetic relationships among South African early hominins, and (ii) the hominid palaeobiodiversity in Southeast Asia; two topics debated for generations, and further complicated by recent finds. This knowledge will also provide the evolutionary scaffolding needed to correctly identify and correlate the series of processes that defined human brain expansion and reorganization. BACKWARD will also screen large sets of morphologically non-informative isolated fossil fragments of bones and teeth, to identify the species and sex of the organism from which they originated. Some of these solutions will be commercially re-purposed to deliver superior performance in public and private analytic laboratories for diagnostics in forensic medicine, and in the food or pharmaceutical industry. As a key BACKWARD feature, the unique contribution provided by each participating institution will be integrated in a strong partnership to transform palaeoanthropology, palaeontology, palaeoecology and archaeology once again, as aDNA did over the last twenty years.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences biological morphology comparative morphology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences palaeontology paleoecology
- social sciences sociology anthropology physical anthropology
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2020-ADG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1165 KOBENHAVN
Denmark
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.