João C. Teixeira

João C. Teixeira is a Research Fellow at The Australian National University's School of Culture, History and Language and an affiliate of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage. His research integrates population genetics, ancient DNA analysis, bioinformatics, statistical modeling, and anthropological frameworks to investigate human origins and evolutionary processes.

• PhD in Evolutionary Genetics (Max Planck Institute)
• Postdoctoral Fellowships (Institut Pasteur, University of Adelaide)
• Current focus on Pleistocene human evolution and transdisciplinary approaches combining genetics, archaeology, and anthropology

His work spans three key research areas: 1 Pleistocene human evolution in Island Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Australia; 2 genetic impacts of historical migrations in Europe and the Americas; and 3 balancing selection mechanisms maintaining genetic diversity over millennia. Publications reveal recurring themes in ancient DNA analysis, admixture patterns, and evolutionary adaptation.

Scientific contributions include:

• 2022: Demonstrated how admixture obscures historical selection signals
• 2020: Identified Denisovan ancestry in Island Southeast Asia
• 2018: Documented long-term balancing selection in human genomes
• 2015: Revealed trans-species polymorphism in LAD1 gene

He has received the prestigious ARC DECRA Fellowship and maintains active collaborations across multiple institutions.