Human Evolution and the Origin of the Species
An important facet of the human diversity research attempts to delineate recent human evolution as humans migrated out of Africa into every corner of the planet. Using a unique type of sequences known as Alu repetitive elements, the FIU group traces human migrations and relationships. Over the years, these sequences have been used by Herrera's group to develop an assay system capable of ascertaining the phylogenetic relationships of human populations. The preserved cells from different populations at the FIU repository are instrumental in this project. The extensive and comprehensive nature of the collection allows for high-resolution studies on the origin of the human species.
