Title of Master´s thesis:
Development of an analysis system for Alu-SINE screening of degraded DNA
About a half of the human genome consists of Transposable Elements (TEs). They are able to reproduce and insert into a new location in the genome. In terms of copy numbers, the Alu elements are with ca. 1.1 million copies the largest group within the TEs. The primate specific Alu elements themselves belong to the group of SINEs (Short-Interspersed-Elements). Several studies examined polymorphic Alu elements and found them as a powerful tool for investigations of human population genetics. A former Master´s Thesis already showed the possible application of presence/absence screening of Alu elements in 3,000 year human skeletal remains of the Lichtenstein cave. A false negative result for presence situations is more likely to occur due to DNA degradation. Because of this, an Internal Alu Primer was developed to shorten the amplicons for presence situations to ~200 bp.
In my thesis I am going to develop a Duplex-PCR for Alu-SINE screening including an Internal Alu Primer, specific for the AluYa5 sub-subfamily, as well as two Flanking Alu Primer sets for presence/absence screening. For this study 10 samples from the Lichtenstein cave will be examined with varying states of DNA preservation ranging from "very good" to "very bad". In the end, I will show the possibility for a Duplex-PCR for Alu-SINE screening in varying states of DNA preservation.

Auslandspraktikum Lima/Peru vom 25.02.-2.05.2017 auf archäologischer Ausgrabungsstelle aus Prä-Inka-Zeit: Museo de Sitio Huaca Pucllana.
Mitarbeit bei den Ausgrabungen sowie Laborarbeit (Untersuchung von Artefakten) und im Öffentlichkeitsdienst
Seit Mai 2018 Gutachter für Forensische Molekularbiologie in der DNA-Abteilung des Instituts für Rechtsmedizin der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.