Hendrik Poinar

Hendrik Poinar is a Professor of Anthropology at McMaster University, specializing in ancient DNA and evolutionary genetics. His research focuses on reconstructing the history of pathogens like Yersinia pestis (plague), ancient human and animal populations, and environmental changes through genomic analysis. He has pioneered methods for extracting and analyzing ancient DNA from archaeological remains, contributing to understanding the origins of pandemics such as the Black Death and the role of environmental factors in disease evolution.

His work bridges anthropology, microbiology, and bioinformatics, with notable projects including the sequencing of Black Death victims' genomes and studies on the genetic impacts of historical plagues on human immunity. Poinar has been honored with Royal Society of Canada Fellowships and celebrated for advancing interdisciplinary research in paleogenomics.