Health of animals and humans

The Bavarian State Collection of Anthropology Munich (SAM)
10,000 years of history of health

Research on the evolution of human health worldwide is made possible by studying human skeletons. Scientists from all over the world compare information on age, height, sex and illnesses recorded from skeletons originating from 10,000 year history of humankind,. Particular attention is paid to the social history of women and children, the segment of society, who for various reasons, have hardly left their mark in historical written sources. The Bavarian State Collection of Anthropology and Palaeoanatomy is project partner of the international Global History of Health Project.

The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology Munich (ZSM)
Parasite identification

Tourists or business travellers increasingly introduce new parasites to Germany. In addition, there is also an increase in new animal species migrating to Germany, which could pose a threat to humans . For instance, non-localticks or mosquito species can transmit a variety of tropical diseases. By comparing their genetic databases, the researchers at the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology Munich have in many cases already been able to define rare parasites that affected humans, for example, the maggot of a botfly (Hypoderma sinense) found underneath the skin of a tourist from Munich that visited Nepal.

DNA barcoding project at the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology Munich