Xavier Roca Rada

Xavier Roca Rada is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Brown University's Center for Computational Molecular Biology (CCMB) and Data Science Institute, working under Emilia Huerta-Sánchez. His research focuses on ancient DNA analysis, particularly in population genomics and human evolution. He holds a PhD in Paleogenomics from the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD), University of Adelaide, and has prior postdoctoral experience at the University of Coimbra in Portugal.

Education includes a BSc in Biology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and a joint MSc in Biological Anthropology between UAB and the University of Barcelona. His work spans ancient DNA applications in forensic genetics, genetic history reconstruction, and population dynamics, with a focus on Iberian, Mesoamerican, and South American populations.

Recent studies explore ancient DNA methodologies, such as metagenomic classifiers for DNA mapping and genome-wide hybridization capture. His research also addresses ancient pathologies like trisomy and Klinefelter's syndrome, linking genetic data to historical and archaeological contexts.

Research contributions include genetic analyses of prehistoric and historic populations, shedding light on migration patterns, cultural interactions, and demographic shifts. Xavier actively engages with interdisciplinary teams at CCMB and the Data Science Institute to advance computational methods in molecular biology.