Daniel Weissman

Daniel Weissman is an Assistant Professor at Emory University with a primary appointment in the Department of Physics and an associated faculty position in Biology. He is affiliated with the Program in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution and leads the Weissman Lab focused on theoretical approaches to evolutionary biology.

• Ph.D., Stanford University, 2010
• BA, Harvard University, 2005

Weissman's research bridges theoretical physics and evolutionary biology, developing mathematical models to predict evolutionary outcomes. His work spans population genetics, spatial structure in populations, pathogen evolution, and genomic data inference. A central goal is to develop frameworks that translate genetic sequencing data into evolutionary predictions, with applications from antibiotic resistance to viral evolution. His research particularly investigates how functional and statistical interactions among genes affect evolution, the role of spatial structure in adaptation, and inferring microbial population dynamics.

Analysis of Weissman's publication record from 2017-2024 reveals a progression from fundamental theoretical questions about adaptation and spatial structure toward more applied questions in infectious disease dynamics. His work consistently explores how spatial structure, recombination, and population heterogeneity influence evolutionary processes, with increasing attention to SARS-CoV-2 and bacterial pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Plasmodium falciparum. A notable theme is the investigation of how synchronized dispersal and sexual reproduction affect adaptation rates in structured populations.

Weissman leads the Weissman Lab, located in the Math & Science Center N244 at Emory University. The lab focuses on building and analyzing models of biological populations to predict their future evolution, with particular emphasis on developing theoretical frameworks that can translate genomic data into evolutionary predictions. His research has received funding from the National Science Foundation, Simons Foundation, and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.