“Britain’s genes”

Today’s issue of Nature features a study of the fine-scale genetic structure of the British population. My current supervisor, Stephen Leslie, was the primary analyst and lead author, and my DPhil (ex-)supervisor, Peter Donnelly, was a senior author. Congratulations guys!

They even made the front cover, check it out.

This is the first study to analyse the genetic makeup of a single country to such a level of detail that they can detect county boundaries, from the genetic data alone! Amazing stuff. They were even able to use genetics to answer long-standing questions in archaeology, such as whether the Anglo-Saxons intermarried or wiped out the existing population when they invaded (answer: intermarried).

They have attracted widespread international news coverage, including in The New York Times, The Guardian, BBC News, The Economist, ABC Science, New Scientist, and many more places.

Some news coverage that is ‘closer to the source’ is available from MCRI, the WTCHG and Nature.

If you like to listen rather than read, check out Peter Donnelly on this week’s Nature Podcast and Stephen Leslie on today’s episode of RN Afternoons on ABC Radio National.

One thought on ““Britain’s genes”

  1. This is really exciting! DNA was hardly mentioned at the Adelaide Genealogical Congress three years ago. We are currently looking at the mitochondrial DNA test results (English) for a cousin. So, naturally, my mind has already been overloaded with information here at the Canberra Congress (Congress2015.org.au) and now I have a really interesting scholarly study to read on my return to Melbourne. Congratulations all around.

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