Thanks you Novo Nordisk Foundation and thanks to my molecular geobiology group and the evolutionary geobiology consortium for supporting this new research avenue.
We do think that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of extracellular DNA preserved on surfaces have an unappreciated potential to influence evolution of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. We will test this understudied evolutionary pathway represents a missing link to understanding evolutionary processes at the root of modern challenges.
With our new 3 year project we aim to develop a strong understanding of how surface-facilitated HGT contributes to heritable variation, both in nature and within the body. Our questions will be set in context to therapy resistance and advance our insight to how both bacterial and cancer therapy resistance arise and may be managed. More here.
This research project has been two years in the making. Interdisciplinary research take time to develop and to get funded. Thanks to the Exploratory Interdisciplinary Synergy Programme and the NOVO FOUNDATION we can finally begin this new and important leg of our research rooted in our collective thinking. I am super thrilled and pleased to get the opportunity to consolidate our Evolutionary GeoBiology network and start interacting with these amazing women on a very regular basis.
Assoc. Prof: Emma Hammarlund Head of Molecular Evolution Group, Lund University
Assoc. Prof. Liselotte Jauffred Head of Biophysics Group, University of Copenhagen
Assoc. Prof. Nicole R. Posth Geomicrobiology & Biogeochemistry Group. University of Copenhagen