Human Populations & Genetics
Past, Present & Future
Dr. Beth Shook
February 4, 2011
Using what we know about past and present populations, Dr. Beth Shook will steer us into the future by looking at genetics and molecular anthropology.
As a molecular anthropologist Dr. Shook's research interests include using both ancient and modern DNA to study human variation.
Molecular anthropology is a field of anthropology in which molecular analysis is used to determine evolutionary links between ancient and modern human populations.
By examining DNA sequences in different populations, scientist can determine the closeness relationships between populations (or within populations). Certain similarities in genetic makeup let molecular anthropologists determine whether or not different groups of people belong to the same haplogroup, and whether they share a common geographical origin. This is significant because it allows anthropologists to trace patterns of migration and settlement, which gives helpful insight as to how contemporary populations have formed and progressed over time.
Dr. Shook has also conducted methodological research applicable to both ancient and forensic DNA. The majority of her research has focused on anthropological questions and the population genetics of Native Americans to address population changes in history and prehistory.
Recently she has become interested in using genetics to inform us about unidentified individuals and has conducted work on unknown individuals in a cemetery in rural Nevada. This project has sparked her interest in the concordance of forensic anthropology and genetic ideas of “race” and “identity”.
Doors open at 7pm with complimentary, locally grown and crafted desserts from Foothill Farmer's Market growers. Presentation starts at 7:30pm. Ticket info
About Dr. Beth Shook
Dr. Beth Shook is a physical anthropologist with research interests in human genetics, the genetics of Native American populations, the peopling of the New World, the anthropology of science and human variation. Using DNA extracted from ancient and extant populations to examine human variation and test hypotheses of population migrations and expansions proposed by archaeologists and linguists to have occurred during prehistoric and historic times, Dr. Beth Shook completed her dissertation research in September of 2005 at the University of California, Davis.
She also collaborated with California Department of Justice forensic scientists to evaluate and modify DNA extraction protocols for DNA extraction from forensic materials. Dr. Shook also completed an analysis of DNA preservation in various archaeological sites that has implications for forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology, and general ancient DNA studies. A National Science Foundation Dissertation Improvement Grant in addition to research grants from UC Davis supported this work.
Dr. Shook continues to work on a number of research projects, applying her knowledge of ancient and forensic DNA methods. As a research associate at UC Davis she extracted and analyzed DNA from a historic population from Eureka, Co., Nevada in a collaborative project with Drs. Bartelink and Murad, and Chico State graduate students. They combined forensic anthropology and DNA methods to identify the ancestry of individuals buried in an unmarked cemetery.
The results from this project underscored the value of applying both types of methods, as this population was likely of mixed ancestry – something which may have been missed from morphological or DNA analysis alone. As a research associate she also conducted an analysis of individuals and cogged stone artifacts from the Ora 83 and Ora 85 sites from Orange Co., California, a collaborative project with Heritage Resource Consultants. She is planning research projects including coordinating submissions to the National Missing Person DNA Database from CSU Chico, and doing methodological research applicable to forensic and ancient samples.
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