Guschanski lab
Primate diversity and evolution
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We are interested in understanding evolutionary processes that lead to biological diversity within and among populations and species. Focusing on nonhuman primates, we study population dynamics, speciation, adaptation and character trait evolution by combining genetic and genomic tools with ecological, morphological and climatic data. Many primate taxa are threatened or endangered. Therefore, our research aims to contribute to their conservation by providing valuable arguments and data for conservation efforts.
Our lab is moving to the University of Edinburgh. While we will maintain some operations at Uppsala for the next few years, most research activities will be transferred to Scotland.
Studying primate diversity can be greatly facilitated by the combination of contemporary and historical (museum) samples. The temporal perspective provides a direct past-to-present comparison and enables us to study e.g. changes in genetic diversity, population size, species range, and provide insights into factors responsible for these changes.
The research program in our lab focuses on three main questions:
- What is the effect of ecological, climatic, and anthropogenic factors on animal population dynamics?
- What is the role of hybridization/introgression in shaping species diversity and driving speciation?
- To which extend do genomic innovations contribute to morphological and behavioral diversity
Group members
Publications
Part of BMC Ecology and Evolution, 2024
- DOI for Comparative genomic analyses provide new insights into evolutionary history and conservation genomics of gorillas
- Download full text (pdf) of Comparative genomic analyses provide new insights into evolutionary history and conservation genomics of gorillas
Ancient reindeer mitogenomes reveal island-hopping colonisation of the Arctic archipelagos
Part of Scientific Reports, 2024
- DOI for Ancient reindeer mitogenomes reveal island-hopping colonisation of the Arctic archipelagos
- Download full text (pdf) of Ancient reindeer mitogenomes reveal island-hopping colonisation of the Arctic archipelagos
Identification of constrained sequence elements across 239 primate genomes
Part of Nature, p. 735-742, 2024
- DOI for Identification of constrained sequence elements across 239 primate genomes
- Download full text (pdf) of Identification of constrained sequence elements across 239 primate genomes
The landscape of tolerated genetic variation in humans and primates
Part of Science, 2023
A global catalog of whole-genome diversity from 233 primate species
Part of Science, p. 906-913, 2023
How genomics can help biodiversity conservation
Part of Trends in Genetics, p. 545-559, 2023
- DOI for How genomics can help biodiversity conservation
- Download full text (pdf) of How genomics can help biodiversity conservation
Complex Evolutionary History With Extensive Ancestral Gene Flow in an African Primate Radiation
Part of Molecular biology and evolution, 2023
- DOI for Complex Evolutionary History With Extensive Ancestral Gene Flow in an African Primate Radiation
- Download full text (pdf) of Complex Evolutionary History With Extensive Ancestral Gene Flow in an African Primate Radiation
Isolated Grauer's gorilla populations differ in diet and gut microbiome
Part of Molecular Ecology, p. 6523-6542, 2023
- DOI for Isolated Grauer's gorilla populations differ in diet and gut microbiome
- Download full text (pdf) of Isolated Grauer's gorilla populations differ in diet and gut microbiome
Ghost admixture in eastern gorillas
Part of Nature Ecology & Evolution, p. 1503-1514, 2023
- DOI for Ghost admixture in eastern gorillas
- Download full text (pdf) of Ghost admixture in eastern gorillas
The complex Y-chromosomal history of gorillas
Part of American Journal of Primatology, 2022
- DOI for The complex Y-chromosomal history of gorillas
- Download full text (pdf) of The complex Y-chromosomal history of gorillas