Paleodiet: Moving Forward Conceptually and Backward Temporarily Using Light Stable Isotopes

福格尔 在国家科学基金会的支持下，Fogel博士将在培养基中培养骨细胞，该培养基已配制用于回答有关将碳水化合物，蛋白质和脂质掺入胶原蛋白和羟基磷灰石的具体问题。将在每个实验培养物中测定单个氨基酸的C和N的化合物特异性同位素测量值。这项研究将为更好地解释骨化石的同位素比值提供基础，并有助于重建史前人类的饮食结构。在研究的第二部分，研究结果将应用于六套化石骨骼，以解决直接考古相关的问题。 考古学家希望重建过去人口的饮食，因为这些数据不仅揭示了古代的生存方式，而且还提供了对社会其他方面的洞察力，如等级社会组织的程度。 研究表明，骨骼中的碳和氮同位素比例与饮食有关，人们可以从骨骼遗骸中反向工作，以了解吃了什么。然而，这一过程远非简单明了，科学家们也不明白不同种类食物中的元素是如何差异化地融入骨骼的不同阶段的。通过她在细胞水平上仔细控制的工作，福格尔博士应该能够解开这些相互作用。 这项研究不仅在考古学上，而且在其他科学领域也具有广泛的适用性。

Fogel With National Science Foundation support Dr. Fogel will culture bone cells in media that has been formulated to answer specific questions regarding the incorporation of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids into collagen and hydroxylapatite. Compound-specific isotopic measurements of C and N of individual amino acids will be determined on each of the experimental cultures. This research will provide the basis of improved interpretation of isotopic ratios from fossil bone and assist in the reconstruction of prehistoric human diet. In a second part of the study, results will be applied to six suites of fossil bone to address questions of direct archaeological relevance. Archaeologists wish to reconstruct the diet of past populations because such data not only sheds light into ancient subsistence practices but also provides insight into other aspects of societies such as the degree of hierarchical social organization. Research has indicated that the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in bone are related to diet and that one can work backwards from skeletal remains to gain insight into what was eaten. However the process is far from straightforward and scientists do not understand how elements from different kinds of foods are differentially incorporated into the different phases of bone. Through her carefully controlled work at the cellular levels, Dr. Fogel should be able to unravel these interactions. This research will have widespread applicability not only in archaeology but in other areas of science as well.