Keolu Fox

Keolu Fox is an Assistant Professor at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), holding affiliations with the Department of Anthropology, Global Health Program, Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, Climate Action Lab, and Indigenous Futures Institute. His research focuses on genomics, evolutionary genetics, and Indigenizing biomedical research to address ethical and equity issues in data sovereignty. He earned a Ph.D. in Genome Sciences from the University of Washington (2016) and completed a UCSD Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship. Notable honors include the National Geographic Emerging Explorer (2017), TED Fellow (2016), and MIT SOLVE Indigenous Communities Fellowship (2020).

Dr. Fox co-founded the Native BioData Consortium, a nonprofit led by Indigenous scientists, and the Indigenous Futures Institute to advance Indigenous-driven scientific innovation. His work emphasizes empowering communities through data ownership and challenging inequitable genomic research practices. He advocates for inclusive genomic studies, particularly involving Indigenous populations, to address health disparities and ensure equitable benefit-sharing. His interdisciplinary collaborations span archaeology, computational biology, and climate action, reflecting his commitment to bridging traditional knowledge with modern science.

Awards include grants from NIH, NSF, and the Emerson Collective, among others. Beyond academia, he serves as a global chair for Equity for Indigenous Research and Innovation (ENRICH) and advises Variant Bio. His TED Talks and media engagements highlight the urgency of diversifying genetic research and redefining data as a communal resource.