Human Population Genomics Lab

We’re excited to welcome Emily Degruson to the lab as an undergraduate student working with Dr. Obed Garcia. Emily is in her third year at the University of Kansas, studying Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and anthropology. She plans to pursue graduate studies focused on precision medicine with pharmacogenomics.

The International Affairs Travel Fund supports faculty travel for research abroad and for presenting a paper at an international conference. Dr. Jorgensen will use the funds to travel to Guatemala and present her research at the World Anthropological Union Congress in November. Photo by Dr. Jorgensen: Zaculeu archaeological site in Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

The Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellowship at the University of Kansas is a community of doctoral student leaders who have been nominated and selected to receive four years of financial and professional development support. Emily’s graduate research will explore how a range of factors—including genetics, environmental conditions, access to food, education, and healthcare—shape human…

We’re excited to welcome Aaron Garding to the lab as an undergraduate student working with Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen. Aaron is a first year student in the Emerging Scholar Program and in the School of Business and Department of History. He is interested in museum studies and researching how museum displays impact public perceptions of history.

We’re excited to welcome Emily Winnicki to the lab as a PhD student working with Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen. Emily graduated from the College of Wooster in 2025 with a dual B.A. in Biology & Anthropology and minor in History. She previously researched how the plague pathogen (Y. pestis) affected historical understanding of disease using archives…

Both Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen and Dr. Obed Garcia presented their research at the KU Center for Genomics Research Symposium (KUCG) in Lawrence, Kansas! Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen presents her research “The impact of human dietary adaptation on global genetic variation” that identified global population genetic variation that could represent candidate loci for the treatment of related…

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. Garcia will use the funds to travel to Guatemala for fieldwork studying the evolution of Dengue virus among Indigenous peoples of the region.

Both Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen and Dr. Obed Garcia presented their research at the American Association of Biological Anthropologists (AABA) in Baltimore, Maryland! Dr. Kelsey Jorgensen presents her research “The impact of human dietary adaptation on global geneticvariation” that examined people around the world to identify genetic patterns of evolutionary adaptations to dietary changes that are…

The Human Population Genomics Lab is accepting new PhD, MA, and undergraduate students! The lab’s focus is on understanding how genomic variation is linked with modern health outcomes by using both computational and experimental approaches. Please click on the ‘Research’ tab to read about current projects and the ‘Join’ tab to contact prospective faculty advisors…