Joachim Burger
Encyclopedia
Professor Dr Joachim Burger (born 27 June 1969 in Aschaffenburg
, Bavaria
, Germany
) is a German anthropologist and molecular biologist based at Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz
, Germany
, where he runs the Palaeogenetics Group at the Institute of Anthropology.
technology to resolve anthropological, palaeontological and archaeological questions , particularly concerning humans and domestic animals in the Holocene
period.
He received his MA
in Anthropology at the Institute of Anthropology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz
, Germany
, in 1996, and his PhD
in Biology at the Georg-August-University, Göttingen
, Germany
, in 2000. Since 2000 he has been based at Johannes Gutenberg University, and was made Professor (Juniorprofessor) in Molecular Archaeology in 2005, and Professor in Anthropology in 2010.
The main focus of Burger's research is human population genetics
of Europe
in the early Holocene
, and of Central Asia
during Bronze
and Iron Age
. He applies palaepopulation-genetic methods, i.e. uses ancient DNA data from archaeological skeletons and statistical inference methods to compare these "fossil" DNA sequences amongst each other and to modern-day populations. He pioneered the field of human Palaeopopulation Genetics. Together with an international team he showed in 2009 that the first European farmers were immigrants to the continent and not descendants of local hunter-gatherers. He also works on the population genetics of animal domestication.
Burger is also Editor of the Journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences.
Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg is a city in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The town of Aschaffenburg is not considered part of the district of Aschaffenburg, but is the administrative seat.Aschaffenburg is known as the Tor zum Spessart or "gate to the Spessart"...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) is a German anthropologist and molecular biologist based at Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where he runs the Palaeogenetics Group at the Institute of Anthropology.
Scientific career
Burger has pioneered the application of ancient DNAAncient DNA
Ancient DNA is DNA isolated from ancient specimens. It can be also loosely described as any DNA recovered from biological samples that have not been preserved specifically for later DNA analyses...
technology to resolve anthropological, palaeontological and archaeological questions , particularly concerning humans and domestic animals in the Holocene
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
period.
He received his MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Anthropology at the Institute of Anthropology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, in 1996, and his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Biology at the Georg-August-University, Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, in 2000. Since 2000 he has been based at Johannes Gutenberg University, and was made Professor (Juniorprofessor) in Molecular Archaeology in 2005, and Professor in Anthropology in 2010.
The main focus of Burger's research is human population genetics
Population genetics
Population genetics is the study of allele frequency distribution and change under the influence of the four main evolutionary processes: natural selection, genetic drift, mutation and gene flow. It also takes into account the factors of recombination, population subdivision and population...
of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in the early Holocene
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
, and of Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
during Bronze
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
and Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
. He applies palaepopulation-genetic methods, i.e. uses ancient DNA data from archaeological skeletons and statistical inference methods to compare these "fossil" DNA sequences amongst each other and to modern-day populations. He pioneered the field of human Palaeopopulation Genetics. Together with an international team he showed in 2009 that the first European farmers were immigrants to the continent and not descendants of local hunter-gatherers. He also works on the population genetics of animal domestication.
Burger is also Editor of the Journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences.
Selected scientific publications
- Gerbault P, Liebert A, Itan Y, Powell A, Currat M, Burger J, Swallow DM & Thomas MG; Evolution of Lactase Persistence: an example of human niche construction. Phil Trans Royal Soc. 2011, 366, 1566: 863-877.
- Chahal HS, Stals K, Unterländer M, Balding DJ, Thomas MG, Kumar AV, Besser GM, Atkinson AB, Morrison PJ, Howlett TA, Levy MJ, Orme SM, Akker SA, Abel RL, Grossman AB, Burger J, Ellard S, Korbonits M; AIP Mutation in an 18th Century Giant and Contemporary Families with Pituitary Adenomas. N Engl J Med. 2011, 364: 43-50.
- Bramanti B, Thomas MG, Haak W, Unterländer M, Jores P, Tambets K, Antanaitis-Jacobs I, Haidle MN, Jankauskas R, Kind C-J, Lüth F, Terberger T, Hiller J, Matsumura S, Forster P, Burger J; 2009 Genetic discontinuity between local hunter-gatherers and central Europe's first farmers. Science 326: 137-140.
- Itan Y, Powell A, Beaumont MA, Burger J & Thomas MG; The Origins of Lactase Persistence in Europe. PLoS Computational Biology. 2009. 5,8: e1000491.
- Stock F, Edwards CJ, Bollongino R, Finlay EK, Burger J & Bradley DG; Cytochrome b sequences of ancient cattle and wild ox support phylogenetic complexity in the ancient and modern bovine populations. Animal Genetics. 2009. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2052.2009.01905.x.
- Bollongino R, Elsner J, Vigne J-D, Burger J; Y-SNPs Do Not Indicate Hybridisation between European Aurochs and Domestic Cattle. PLoS ONE. 2008. 3,10: e3418.
- Scheu A, Hartz S, Schmölcke U, Tresset A, Burger J, Bollongino R; Ancient DNA provides no evidence for independent domestication of cattle in Mesolithic Rosenhof, Northern Germany. J. Arch. Sci. 2008, 35: 1257-1264.
- Edwards CJ, Bollongino R, Scheu A, Chamberlain A, Tresset A, Larson G, Czwerwinski P, Arbogast R-M, Arndt B, Baird JF, Bartosiewicz L, Benecke N, Budja M, Chaix L, Choyke AM, Coqueugniot E, Döhle H-J, Göldner H, Hartz S, Helmer D, Herzig B, Hongo H, Mashkour M, Özdogan M, Pucher E, Roth G, Schade-Lindig S, Schmölcke U, Schulting R, Stephan E, Uerpmann H-P, Vörös I, Vigne J-D, Bradley DG, Burger J; Genetic Mitochondrial DNA analysis shows a Near Eastern Neolithic origin for domestic cattle and no indication of domestication of European aurochs. Proc. R. Soc. B 2007, 274, 1616: 1377-1385.
- Burger J, Kirchner M, Bramanti B, Haak W, Thomas MG; Absence of the Lactase-Persistence associated allele in early Neolithic Europeans. Proc Nat Acad Sci. 2007, 104,10: 3736-3741.
- Burger J, Gronenborn D, Forster P, Matsumura S, Bramanti B, Haak W; Response to Comment on ‘Ancient DNA from the First European Farmers in 7500-Year-Old Neolithic Sites’ Science. 2006, 312: 1875b.
- Burger J, Hemmer H; Urgent Call for Further Breeding of the Relic Zoo Population of the Critically Endangered Barbary Lion [Panthera leo leo (Linnaeus 1758)]. European Journal of Wildlife Research. 2006, 52: 54-58.
- Bollongino R, Edwards CJ, Alt KW, Burger J, Bradley DG; Early history of European domestic cattle as revealed by ancient DNA. Biology Letters. 2006, 2: 155-159.
- Haak W, Forster P, Bramanti B, Matsumura S, Brandt G, Tänzer M, Villems R, Renfrew C, Gronenborn D, Alt KW, Burger J; Ancient DNA from the First European farmers in 7500-year-old Neolithic sites. Science. 2005, 310: 1016-1018.
- Haak W, Gruber P, Ruhli FJ, Boni T, Ulrich-Bochsler S, Frauendorf E, Burger J, Alt KW, Molecular evidence of HLA-B27 in a historical case of ankylosing spondylitis. Arthritis Rheum. 2005, 52,10: 3318-3319.
- Burger J, Rosendahl W, Loreille O, Hemmer H, Eriksson T, Götherström A, Hiller J, Collins MJ, Wess T, Alt KW; Molecular phylogeny of the extinct cave lion Panthera leo spelaea. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 2004, 30: 841–849.
- Pfeiffer I, Burger J, Brenig B; Diagnostic polymorphisms in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene allow discrimination between cattle, sheep, goat, roe buck and deer by PCR-RFLP. BMC Genetics. 2004, 5: 30.