Human Population Genomics Lab

Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen and Dr. Obed Garcia write about higher copy number variants of the AMY1 gene in Peruvians in relation to eating potato starch in this paper published in Nature Communications. Read here! Several popular science magazines have summarized the research, read about it here and here!

Both Emily Winnicki and Emily Degruson presented their research at the KU Center for Genomics Research Symposium (KUCG) in Lawrence, Kansas! Human Population Genetics Lab at the KUCG! From left to right: Dr. Obed Garcia, Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen, Emily Winnicki, Emily Degruson Emily Winnicki, PhD Student, presents her research “Putative selection related to immune response…

The Latin America Fund supports the development or maintenance of institutional partnerships, exchanges and academic collaborations between KU and counterparts at selected postsecondary institutions within Latin America. Dr. Jorgensen will use the funds to will travel to Guatemala and Peru to research genetic and physiological data that investigate how evolutionary adaptations to high-starch diets can affect…

Aaron was awarded both a KU Hall Center for the Humanities Undergraduate Research Travel Award and a KU Anthropology Carroll D. Clark Award to support travel for his research this summer. The award for his research, “The Language of Life: Examining the Terminology Used in Museum Displays of Human Remains,” will be used to travel…

Aaron Garding presented his research at the 29th Annual KU Undergraduate Research Symposium in Lawrence, Kansas! Aaron Garding, Undergraduate Researcher, presents his research “The Language of Life: Examining the Terminologyused in Museum Displays of Human Remains” which examined the language used in museum displays of human remains, particularly looking at the impact of that language…

Emily was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, a prestigious national fellowship that supports outstanding graduate students in STEM fields. Her research, “Detecting 3rd Generation Genome-Wide Changes from 1918 Flu Pandemic Stress in Modern Kansans,” examines how major historical experiences may leave lasting biological effects using combined epigenetic and genetic methods. Congratulations Emily!

The General Research Fund is a competitive opportunity for faculty to further their scholarly research. Dr. Jorgensen will use the funds to combine genomic, transcriptomic, and physiological analyses to better understand how evolutionary adaptations to starch rich diets can influence the development of type 2 diabetes. Photo: Overview of starch digestion.

Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen, Dr. Obed Garcia, and Emily Degruson presented their research at the American Association of Biological Anthropologists (AABA) in Denver, Colorado! Emily Degruson presents her research “Immune biomarkers and candidate genetic variant associations with dengue virus Infection in Guatemala” that analyzed how the immune system responds to infection to clarify underlying disease mechanisms…

Emily was awarded a KU Anthropology Carroll D. Clark Award to support travel for her research. Her research, “Unraveling Dengue Immune Response in Guatemala,” will be presented at the upcoming American Association of Biological Anthropologists Conference in Denver. Congratulations Emily!

Both Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen and Dr. Obed Garcia presented their research at the World Anthropological Union Congress (WAU) in Antigua, Guatemala! Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen speaks about her research “How Diet Has Shaped Human Genome Patterns Worldwide” that identified novel population genetic diversity stemming from evolutionary dietary mismatches. Dr. Obed Garcia speaks about his research “Adaptive…