The SPAAM Community is thrilled to announce our first-ever blog post competition! You will not only get a chance of having your post featured on the SPAAM website but also win a mystery book prize! For more info and how to submit visit: www.spaam-community.org/news/2025/11... #SPAAM #aDNA #contest

Ancient microbe DNA as a record of climate change 🦠🧬: mountain lake sedaDNA from the past 430 years reveals major microbial shifts since 1960, following climate shifts. doi.org/10.1007/s002... #MetagenomicsMonday #SPAAM #aDNA #climate #change #metagenomics #sediment #sedaDNA #mountain #lake

How much do lab methods shape ancient microbiome results? 🧬 This study compares extraction & library prep protocols on dental calculus from Hungary and Niger, showing that no single workflow fits all. #MetagenomicsMonday #SPAAM #aDNA #calculus #microbiome doi.org/10.1111/1755...

This new study takes a closer look at eukaryotic reference genomes. 🧬 By mapping microbial-like regions across thousands of plant & animal assemblies, it helps make ancient eDNA analyses more accurate. #MetagenomicsMonday #SPAAM #aDNA #metagenomics #eDNA doi.org/10.1093/giga...

🗳️🗳️Dear SPAAM community, have you voted for the SPAAM8 2026 meeting location yet? The poll is open until Nov 22! Check Element General Room to choose your preferred option (Leipzig, Copenhagen, Stockholm, or online). Your input matters—help shape our next annual meeting!

📣📣We’ve launched a new Introduction Room on our community Element channel! Whether you’re a new or veteran member, introduce yourself, share your affiliation, and tell us about your research. Let’s connect and strengthen our community together! matrix.to#/#Introducti...

Dear SPAAM Community members, We are excited to share with you the latest SPAAM Newsletter! Inside, you’ll find: - updates on events and workshops - funding/research opportunities - latest publications We hope you enjoy this edition! www.spaam-community.org/assets/media...

A new study links the Harbin cranium to Denisovans using DNA hidden in dental calculus. 🦷🧬 The mtDNA connects to Siberian lineages and suggests Denisovans spread widely across Pleistocene Asia. #MetagenomicsMonday #SPAAM #aDNA #Denisovan #archaic #mtDNA #calculus doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...

In this new paper, researchers extended the sedaDNA analysis beyond cave sediments: bone-adhered deposits preserved human, microbial, plant & animal sequences. #MetagenomicsMonday #SPAAM #aDNA #sedaDNA #metagenomics #cave #sediment

Did you miss the ISBA11? Or maybe you want to refresh your memories from the symposium? 🧬 SPAAM members gathered for a debriefing session to share our impressions and feedback on the ISBA conference program. Check it out! www.spaam-community.org/blog/2025/10... #SPAAM #ancientDNA #ISBA11 #aDNA

A new study explores the secrets hidden in concretions coating ancient teeth. 🦷 The researchers found microbial & protein traces, but human DNA remains elusive… #MetagenomicsMonday #SPAAM #aDNA #proteomics #metagenomics doi.org/10.1016/j.is...

🚨 New release of #AncientMetagenomeDir! (v25.09.0, Site of Palmyra) github.com/SPAAM-commun... It is a community resource of #metadata of >2K shotgun-sequenced #AncientMetagenome or ancient microbial genome enriched samples & >5K libraries. Stats below (🧵 1/4)

🚨 New release of #AncientMetagenomeDir! (v25.09.0, Site of Palmyra) github.com/SPAAM-commun... It is a community resource of #metadata of >2K shotgun-sequenced #AncientMetagenome or ancient microbial genome enriched samples & >5K libraries. Stats below (🧵 1/4)

Proteomics + aDNA from a Jerash mass grave recovered Y. pestis genomes in 5 individuals. 🧬 Near-identical strains confirm a single lineage outbreak & place First Pandemic Y. pestis DNA near its historical epicenter. #MetagenomicsMonday #SPAAM #aDNA #plague #proteomics doi.org/10.3390/gene...

What affects aDNA recovery from dental calculus? 🦷📊 In 32 mammal species, library success (~74%) was possibly shaped by host diet. #MetagenomicsMonday #SPAAM #aDNA

Interested in the past of reef organisms and ecosystems? 🪸 Sign up for the 2026 International Coral Reef Symposium that will take place in Auckland, NZ. The abstract submissions are open until December. #aDNA #SPAAM #ecosystems #reef #coral #symposium

What lived in Arctic Norway ~80,000 years ago? ❄️🦌 Ancient sediments from a cave reveal 46 taxa of mammals, birds & fish — a unique cold-adapted coastal ecosystem. #MetagenomicsMonday #SPAAM #aDNA doi.org/10.1073/pnas...

Did prehistoric sheep carry plague? 🐑🦠 A 3rd-millennium BCE Yersinia pestis genome from domesticated sheep links livestock to human infections in prehistory. #MetagenomicsMonday #SPAAM #aDNA doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...

What can a million-year-old mammoth teach us about microbes? 🦠 From pathogens to commensals, this new study reconstructs the oldest known host-associated microbial DNA. #MetagenomicsMonday #SPAAM #aDNA doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...

#MetagenomicsMonday A new study shares 174 archaeological dental calculus metagenomes from across the UK, spanning multiple periods. With rich metadata and rigorous quality control, the dataset opens new doors to exploring ancient microbiome through time. doi.org/10.1016/j.di...

Interested in learning more about how researchers analyze ancient DNA? Here you can find the free lectures from the SPAAM Summer School 2025 - Introduction to Ancient Metagenomics: tinyurl.com/3u9mhmd2 Slides: tinyurl.com/mkfrvru4 Feel free to ask questions in the comments! #ancientDNA #SPAAM

#MetagenomicsMonday Are you interested in ancient microbiome and sedaDNA? Check out wholeskim - new fast and efficient pipeline that uses unassembled genome skims to index and query k-mers for taxonomic annotation of environmental DNA. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

A huge thanks to all the amazing speakers and participants at #SPAAM7 yesterday 🧬🙌 The sessions were full of inspiring talks and great discussions!✨

Davide Bozzi shared results from his study of Aboriginal Australian saliva microbiomes, revealing a high diversity of novel species🦠 Follow him for more insights! @davidebozzi.bsky.social #SPAAM7 #aDNA

Aida Andrades Valtueña, our keynote speaker at #SPAAM7, gave a fantastic talk on SPAAM’s history, its current state, and where the future might take us. A great reminder of how far this community has come and how much lies ahead! Don't be afraid to join us! ❤️ @aidanva.bsky.social

#MetagenomicsMonday A new review highlights the potential of sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) to uncover lost coastal ecologies, human–environment interactions, and biocultural change. #aDNA #sedaDNA doi.org/10.1098/rstb...

Dear SPAAM community, help us improve #SPAAMtisch our longest ongoing initiative! Whether you're a regular or just joined, we want your feedback to give voice to the community! Please fill out this form, it will take only 3 minutes. forms.gle/XwPko88y4D1U...

#MetagenomicsMonday A new aDNA study of >200 kākāpō coprolites spanning >800 years reveals significant parasite loss. >80% of pre-1990 endoparasite taxa are absent from contemporary kākāpō, suggesting that host population decline can drive irreversible parasite extinctions doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...

Hello SPAAM Community! We are looking for volunteers to contribute to our SPAAM blog: www.spaam-community.org/category/blog/ If you are interested in authoring a blog post on the SPAAM website, do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] :)

Help us give a warm welcome to our newest #SPAAM7 invited speaker, Keri Burge! 🙌 Catch her talk on August 26th — live in Turin or online!

#MetagenomicsMonday Environmental aDNA was used to reconstruct 3k years of marine biodiversity off the coast of Iceland. Herring abundance was linked to temperature, highlighting climate as a key driver of marine biodiversity royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...

We're excited to welcome Sterling Wright as the next invited speaker at #SPAAM7!🎉 @anthbyte.bsky.social Listen to his talk on August 26th in Turin or online!🔥

#MetagenomicsMonday Analysis of aDNA from 1313 ancient human remains spanning 37k years revealed that the rise of infectious diseases coincided with animal domestication around 65k years ago, with disease spread intensifying during pastoralist migrations. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

🗣️ Pssst… we’ve got good news! Missed the deadline for #SPAAM7? No worries! Registration is now open until 4.8. 🎉 That’s your second chance to join the fun. Don’t sleep on it! 😉 🔗 forms.gle/sr83nxn1FWfp... See you in Turin or via zoom! 🔥

#MetagenomicsMonday A review paper from Boualam et al., highlights the evolution of diagnostic methods for ancient infectious diseases and emphasizes how interdisciplinary approaches are transforming our understanding of disease. doi.org/10.1016/j.di...

#MetagenomicsMonday aDNA from giant salamander fossils from Shikoku Island confirmed they belonged to Andrias japonicus, matching the mitochondrial DNA of the extant species. The population persisted until around 3,500–4,100BP. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

📢 Registration Now Open for SPAAM7! Join as for the pre-ISBA hybrid event, to be held on August 26th, 2025,in Turin, Italy 🇮🇹 Check out our preliminary program 🧬🦠 🔗 Register by the 30th of July using this link!! forms.gle/6jiHhCKFk3Qh... We look forward to seeing you (In person or via zoom)! 🔥🔥

Next up at #SPAAM7 – invited speaker Giulia Zampirolo 🙌 @giuliazamp93.bsky.social Don’t miss her talk in the Round table session about Bioinformatic methods in Turin on August 26th #aDNA #SPAAM7

#MetagenomicsMonday aDNA analysis revealed a shift from zoonotic parasites in the pre-Roman period to a dominance of sanitation-related parasites in later periods. A multimethod approach proved most effective for reconstructing past parasite diversity. journals.plos.org/plosntds/art...

Say hi to our next invited speaker for #SPAAM7 – Zoé Pochon! 👋 @zoepochon.bsky.social Catch her talk in Turin (or online) on August 26th! #aDNA #SPAAM7

#MetagenomicsMonday Clostridial neurotoxin genes are surprisingly common in both human and animal ancient remains, sreflecting the close ecological relationship between pathogenic Clostridia and decomposing tissue. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

#MetagenomicsMonday Pathogen screening of a rural early medieval community uncovers a surprisingly high rate of infectious diseases (>30%). Researchers suggest that major climate changes at the time might have influenced the disease burden. doi.org/10.1186/s130...

We are thrilled to announce our keynote speaker for #SPAAM7 – Aida Andrades Valtueña!🎉 @aidanva.bsky.social

#MetagenomicsMonday Ancient DNA from marine sediments in Northern Greenland was used to trace marine mammal presence over the past 12,000 years, revealing that many species appeared earlier than suggested by the fossil record. doi.org/10.1038/s414...

Connect to our SPAAMTisch seminar happening now on “An ancient Epstein-Barr virus genome recovered from a museum penis gourd from Papua” Join Zoom Meeting ut-ee.zoom.us/j/9925660351... Meeting ID: 992 5660 3512 Passcode: 047123

#MetagenomicsMonday New aDNA study tracks how Borrelia recurrentis, the bacterium behind louse-borne relapsing fever, evolved from a tick-borne ancestor, offering rare insight into how pathogens adapt to new vectors over time.

#MetagenomicsMonday While it's long been assumed that leprosy came to the Americas with Europeans, new evidence shows that Mycobacterium lepromatosis, was already infecting people here long before that, rewriting the history of leprosy's origins in the New World. doi.org/10.1126/scie...

#MetagenomicsMonday 🧬 Ancient DNA uncovers a lost harp seal population in the Baltic Sea that was genetically distinct from their Arctic cousins! Changes in climate and water salinity combined with human hunting likely sealed their fate. #ancientDNA onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

🚨FINAL REMINDER Abstract submission for SPAAM7 closes today at midnight!⏰ Don’t miss your chance to share your work! 🔗Submit now: forms.gle/qg9csLGu2u8Z...

🚨 FINAL REMINDER about the DEADLINE for the upcoming virtual summer school "INTRODUCTION TO ANCIENT METAGENOMICS" (4-8 Aug 2025). DEADLINE: May 30th 2025 To apply visit: spaam-community.org/wss-summer-s... ❓ Contact: J Fellows Yates (@jfy133) or Prof. C Warinner (@WarinnerGroup)