DNA Methylation Analysis of Bone Integrity and Age-Related Loci in Archaeological Skeletal Samples

As people age, bones can become weaker and more fragile, increasing the risk of fractures and conditions such as osteoporosis. Although factors like age, sex, and lifestyle influence bone health, they do not fully explain why some individuals experience more severe bone loss than others. Understanding the biological processes behind skeletal aging is an important challenge in aging research. Recent research shows that small chemical changes to DNA — epigenetic modifications — may help explain how the body ages. One type of modification, DNA methylation, has been linked to both age and bone health in modern populations. This project will examine DNA from archaeological human teeth to investigate whether these molecular signals of aging and bone health can be detected in ancient remains. Studying skeletal remains from past populations provides a unique long-term perspective on aging and may help researchers better understand how bone health and aging vary across human populations.