David Reich
Harvard University · Human Evolutionary Biology
Active 1999–2026
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About
David Reich is a Principal Investigator at Harvard University, leading the David Reich Lab which focuses on ancient DNA, biology, and disease. His research involves the study of ancient genomes to understand human history, evolution, and the genetic basis of diseases. The lab employs advanced genomic techniques to analyze ancient DNA samples, contributing to our understanding of human migrations, population interactions, and the genetic diversity of ancient populations. Reich's work is characterized by a multidisciplinary approach, integrating genetics, archaeology, and anthropology to reconstruct historical human populations and their movements. His contributions have significantly advanced the field of ancient genomics, providing insights into the complex history of human ancestry and the genetic factors influencing health and disease across different populations.
Research topics
- Geography
- Biology
- Demography
- Archaeology
- Evolutionary biology
- Sociology
- History
- Genetics
- Ethnology
- Computer Science
Selected publications
Insights into human genetic variation and population history from 929 diverse genomes
Science · 2020 · 1053 citations
Genome sequences from diverse human groups are needed to understand the structure of genetic variation in our species and the history of, and relationships between, different populations. We present 929 high-coverage genome sequences from 54 diverse human populations, 26 of which are physically phased using linked-read sequencing. Analyses of these genomes reveal an excess of previously undocumented common genetic variation private to southern Africa, central Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, b…
Ancient DNA indicates human population shifts and admixture in northern and southern China
Science · 2020 · 487 citations
Human genetic history in East Asia is poorly understood. To clarify population relationships, we obtained genome-wide data from 26 ancient individuals from northern and southern East Asia spanning 9500 to 300 years ago. Genetic differentiation in this region was higher in the past than the present, which reflects a major episode of admixture involving northern East Asian ancestry spreading across southern East Asia after the Neolithic, thereby transforming the genetic ancestry of southern China.…
Genomic insights into the formation of human populations in East Asia
Nature · 2021 · 453 citations
Senior authorCorrespondingLarge-scale migration into Britain during the Middle to Late Bronze Age
Nature · 2021 · 244 citations
Senior authorCorrespondingA Paleogenomic Reconstruction of the Deep Population History of the Andes
Cell · 2020 · 191 citations
There are many unanswered questions about the population history of the Central and South Central Andes, particularly regarding the impact of large-scale societies, such as the Moche, Wari, Tiwanaku, and Inca. We assembled genome-wide data on 89 individuals dating from ∼9,000-500 years ago (BP), with a particular focus on the period of the rise and fall of state societies. Today's genetic structure began to develop by 5,800 BP, followed by bi-directional gene flow between the North and South Hig…
Recent grants
A new history and geography of human genes informed by ancient DNA
NSF · $3.0M · 2010–2017
NIH · $991k · 2009
NIH · $2.7M · 2021
Frequent coauthors
- 577 shared
Swapan Mallick
Broad Institute
- 456 shared
Nadin Rohland
- 322 shared
Nick Patterson
Broad Institute
- 267 shared
Kristin Stewardson
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- 263 shared
Matthew Mah
Harvard University
- 259 shared
Ïñigo Olalde
Harvard University
- 258 shared
Arti Tandon
- 244 shared
Ron Pinhasi
University of Vienna
Labs
Ancient DNA, Biology, and Disease
Education
- 1995
Ph.D., Genetics
Harvard University
- 1990
B.A., Molecular and Cell Biology
University of California, Berkeley
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