Population Genetics of Central Eurasia

This project aims to characterize the population genetics of the individuals, both modern and ancient, from across the Central Eurasian steppe region through time. As part of this research, we are interested in determining how the population structure of the region changed through time in light of known instances of migration in the past. Moreover, we aim to better characterize the natural selection landscape of the region in the context of the modern and ancient population variation.

Epigenetics of High-Altitude Adaptation

This research is focused on examining DNA methylation associated with adaptation and acclimatization to high-altitude hypoxia. The research population is the Peruvian Quechua living in the Andes, which is a multigenerational high-altitude adapted population. The Quechua exhibit various genetic and physiological adaptations to high altitude, and this research aims at determining the epigenetic aspect of their adaptation. This research also examines how DNA methylation differences interact with genetic changes to determine how genome-wide DNA methylation changes and SNP changes interact to create the high-altitude adaptive phenotype.

Ancient adaptation to high altitude. Another aspect of this study includes determining how SNP frequencies at genes implicated in high-altitude adaptation differ in time using ancient DNA.