RESEARCH FIELD

Population Genetics

Population genetics quantifies genetic variation within and between populations, inferring evolutionary processes including drift, selection, migration, and recombination from patterns in DNA sequence data. The 1000 Genomes Project and gnomAD database catalogued millions of variants across global human populations, defining the architecture of common and rare disease risk. Ancient DNA from thousands of archaeological specimens is rewriting human prehistory, revealing continental-scale migrations, Bronze Age admixture events, and the genetic legacy of past populations on living people. Selection scans identify loci under positive selection, including adaptations to altitude, diet, and infectious disease. Statistical genetics methods like polygenic score analysis translate large GWAS into predictions of complex trait risk with growing clinical and ethical implications.