Bastiaan Star

Bastiaan Star is a Professor at the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES) at the University of Oslo, where he leads research integrating ancient DNA, genomics, and evolutionary ecology to study historical environmental changes and human impacts on marine organisms. His work spans Atlantic walrus, cod, herring, and New Zealand snapper, examining genetic variation, population structure, and responses to human exploitation over centuries to millennia.

Star's research focuses on ancient DNA analysis of archaeological material (hundreds to thousands of years old), collaborating closely with archaeologists and zooarchaeologists. Key interests include population genomics, local adaptation, thermal physiology, and bioinformatics development for degraded samples. His group investigates how long-distance trade networks, climate change, and fisheries exploitation have shaped marine biodiversity through time.

His recent publications reveal trends in marine historical ecology, demonstrating how ancient DNA exposes millennial-scale population dynamics in exploited species. Work spans walrus ivory trade chronology, Atlantic bluefin tuna demographic collapse, puffin hybridization due to climate shifts, and medieval cod trade routes. This research combines high-throughput sequencing, computational biology, and interdisciplinary archaeological approaches.

Star actively collaborates on major projects including:

• BEEDIVERSE: Wild bee conservation through functional ecology and genomics
• SeaChanges: Human exploitation thresholds in marine vertebrates
• The Impact of Art: Ancient DNA tracing historic walrus trade
• EvoCave: Population genomics of Atlantic puffins

He leads the Archaeogenomics group at CEES, developing methodologies for ancient DNA extraction from challenging substrates like fish bones and degraded archaeological specimens. His work bridges molecular biology, ecology, and archaeology to reconstruct past ecosystems and inform conservation strategies.