About
Timothy H. Webster is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Utah, where he directs the Primate Evolution and Genomics Lab (PEGL). He holds an adjunct faculty position at Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences. Webster earned his PhD in Anthropology from Yale University in 2015, following an M.Phil from Yale and a BA in Anthropology and Zoology from Miami University.
His research integrates genomics, computational biology, and evolutionary anthropology to study primate behavior, ecology, and adaptation. Key focus areas include:
- Primate genomics and speciation mechanisms
- Evolution of immune genes in response to pathogens
- Development of bioinformatics tools for NGS data
- Conservation genomics of endangered species
- 3D genome architecture in hominids
Webster's publications emphasize computational approaches to evolutionary questions, with recurring themes in comparative genomics, host-pathogen interactions, and methodological innovations. His work spans diverse taxa including primates, reptiles, and humans.
He has secured multiple grants including NSF funding for projects on social integration in primates and Leakey Foundation awards for microbiome and X-inactivation studies. Current doctoral students focus on primate genomics and desert tortoise ecology.
The PEGL lab develops open-source bioinformatics tools and collaborates internationally on conservation genomics initiatives.
