Emilia Huerta-Sanchez

Emilia Huerta-Sanchez is an Associate Professor of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology at Brown University. Her research focuses on population genetics and computational modeling to study human evolutionary adaptation, particularly in response to environmental challenges like high altitude, diet, and pathogens. She leads the Huerta-Sanchez Lab, which combines theoretical and empirical approaches to analyze ancient and modern DNA.

Education:

• PhD, Cornell University (2008)
• MS, Cornell University (2005)
• BA, Mills College (2002)

Research Interests: Dr. Huerta-Sanchez investigates genomic signatures of natural selection, archaic introgression (e.g., Neanderthal/Denisovan contributions), and adaptation in human populations. Her work emphasizes methodological innovations in analyzing ancient DNA and detecting evolutionary forces shaping genetic diversity.

Teaching: Courses include BIOL 0495 (Statistical Analysis of Biological Data), BIOL 1435 (Computational Methods for Demographic History), and BIOL 1465 (Human Population Genomics).

Awards/Grants: While specific awards are not listed, her lab’s contributions to archaeogenetics and computational genomics reflect sustained recognition in the field. Recent activities include organizing SMBE symposia on ancient DNA and demographic modeling.

Labs/Teams: The Huerta-Sanchez Lab collaborates internationally, with projects involving genomic analyses of high-altitude populations, Denisovan introgression, and pharmacogenetic variation in ancient humans. Valeria recently joined as a PhD student, expanding the team’s capacity for cutting-edge research.