Ellen Quillen

Ellen Quillen is a Research Fellow in the Department of Genetics at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, where her work bridges human evolutionary history and contemporary health outcomes through advanced genetic analysis.

Her primary research domains include:

• Human Evolutionary History and Population Genetics
• Genetic Basis of Pigmentation and Skin Color Variation
• Schizophrenia Gene Expression Mechanisms
• Admixture Dynamics in Family Populations
• Tanning Response in Mexican American Cohorts
• Health Disparities in Hispanic Populations

Dr. Quillen's doctoral research identified two genes under selection in Indigenous American populations that significantly influence skin color variation in modern Hispanic groups, a finding published in Human Genetics that exemplifies her focus on evolutionary adaptations impacting current health conditions.