Theodore Schurr

Professor of Anthropology

I am a Professor in the Department of Anthropology, and a ConsultingCurator in the Physical Anthropology and American Sections of the University ofPennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology.  I am also the Director of the North AmericanRegional Center of the Genographic Project, and Head of the Laboratory ofMolecular Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Forthe past twenty-five years, I have investigated the genetic prehistory of Asiaand the Americas through studies of mtDNA, Y-chromosome and autosomal DNA variationin Asian, Siberian and Native American populations.  Our current projects include studies ofgenetic diversity in indigenous populations of Canada, the United States,Mexico and the Caribbean.  My researchgroup is also investigating the population history of Georgia (Caucasus), Pakistanand Kazakhstan through our collaborative genetic studies in those countries.

Research Interests

Human evolutionary genetics, mitochondrial biology and disease, biomedical genetics, ancient DNA, primate genetics; Geographic areas: Africa, Americas, Australia, Georgia (Caucasus), Melanesia, Siberia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Turkey