Buffalo Evolutionary and Anthropological Genomics Laboratory (BEAGL)

Investigating the evolutionary history of genetic variations to explain biological diversity and disease in modern and ancient human populations.

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WHAT WE DO

We investigate the contributions of genomic structural variations—beyond single nucleotide variations—to human evolution, combining tools from genomics, functional genetics, anthropology, and evolutionary biology to mechanistically link genetic variation to phenotypic diversity.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Mutation

What different mutational mechanisms shape the size, functional impact, and genomic distribution of different types of genomic structural variation?

Evolutionary Process

What evolutionary processes maintain (ancient) functional, structural variants that we share with Neanderthals?

Function

How do different types of SVs affect biological function at the genetic, transcriptomic, cellular, and organismal levels?

OUR WORK

Our latest publications

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Rapid evolution of mouse saliva through regulatory rewiring and gene expansions
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Structural variation in context: mechanisms, functions and selection regimes across the tree of life
Featured video
Introduction to Gokcumen Lab
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Special Issue: Functional and Adaptive Effects of Genomic Structural Variation in Heredity
The New York Times on “Reconstruction of the human amylase locus reveals ancient duplications seeding modern-day variation”
Naked Scientists podcast – On ancient variations and Neanderthals
NPR – Radiolab: On Neanderthals and poop
BBC Interview
Omer Açık Radyo’da insan evrimi ve çeşitliliği üzerine konuşuyor

Our work has been picked up by several press outlets. See latest.

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Postdoctoral Research Opportunity: Lipid Biology, Cell Death, and Evolutionary Genomics

August 3, 2025

We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to join our collaborative research program at the intersection of lipid

Write-up on our publication with Atilla Lab on lipids’ role in necroptosis

August 11, 2023

We helped Atilla lab to analyze transcriptomics data to investigate the role of lipid pathways in necroptosis. This paper is

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New paper: Odd interactions between short RNAs and structural variation

July 1, 2023

X’s lab led this study on extensive long-read sequencing of multiple bird genomes and follow-up comparative/functional analysis to find interesting

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New paper(s): Ancient genomes from Americas

June 19, 2023

The Alcobaça archaeological site, in which the skeletal remains of Brazil-12 (northeast Brazil) were unearthed. (Photo credit: Henry Lavalle, Universidade

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New paper(s): Trade-offs may have shaped our genomes

January 27, 2023

If you follow our work, you may have remembered that we have published a paper on the curious evolution of

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New paper: Mucus, slime, and a new way for biological functions to evolve

August 26, 2022

Petar Pajic led this project that we designed with Stefan Ruhl Laboratory on how mucin proteins have evolved. The roles

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Evogen is back in person

June 1, 2022

We are delighted to have the GLAM-Evogen symposium back in person. It will be held on August 13, 2022, at

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Our work has been picked up by several press outlets. See latest.

, ,

Postdoctoral Research Opportunity: Lipid Biology, Cell Death, and Evolutionary Genomics

August 3, 2025

We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to join our collaborative research program at the intersection of lipid

Placeholder

Write-up on our publication with Atilla Lab on lipids’ role in necroptosis

August 11, 2023

We helped Atilla lab to analyze transcriptomics data to investigate the role of lipid pathways in necroptosis. This paper is

Placeholder

New paper: Odd interactions between short RNAs and structural variation

July 1, 2023

X’s lab led this study on extensive long-read sequencing of multiple bird genomes and follow-up comparative/functional analysis to find interesting

Placeholder

New paper(s): Ancient genomes from Americas

June 19, 2023

The Alcobaça archaeological site, in which the skeletal remains of Brazil-12 (northeast Brazil) were unearthed. (Photo credit: Henry Lavalle, Universidade

Placeholder

New paper(s): Trade-offs may have shaped our genomes

January 27, 2023

If you follow our work, you may have remembered that we have published a paper on the curious evolution of

Placeholder

New paper: Mucus, slime, and a new way for biological functions to evolve

August 26, 2022

Petar Pajic led this project that we designed with Stefan Ruhl Laboratory on how mucin proteins have evolved. The roles

Placeholder

Evogen is back in person

June 1, 2022

We are delighted to have the GLAM-Evogen symposium back in person. It will be held on August 13, 2022, at

Data and Code

Visit our GitHub repo for codes, applications, and datasets. The links to primary datasets can be found in the relevant publications.

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