Current Projects

Origin and evolution of genetic variation in Britain

We are extending research into biology and genetic disease in the UK Biobank into a third evolutionary dimension with ancient British genomes and pathogen DNA. Supported by the Wellcome Trust and the Vallee Foundation.

• Swali et al. 2022, Bronze Age Yersinia pestis, Nat Comms

• Davy et al. 2023, Agricultural adaptations, Current Biology

• *Charlton, *Brace, *Hajdinjak et al. 2022, Paleolithic Britain, Nat Ecol Evol

Origin and evolution of dogs

When and where did the first dogs appear, and how did they evolve alongside humans? Supported by the European Research Council.

• Bergström et al. 2022, Wolf origins, Nature

• Bergström et al. 2020, Dog history, Science

Origin and evolution of Homo

How, when, and where did Homo sapiens originate and how did they interact with archaic humans such as Neandertals? 

• Bergström et al. 2021, Modern human origins, Nature

• Hajdinjak et al. 2021, Homo sapiens in Europe, Nature