Lachie Scarsbrook

Lachie Scarsbrook is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and Fulford Junior Research Fellow at Somerville College, University of Oxford. His research integrates ancient DNA with morphometric analyses to investigate human-environment impacts on animal populations, focusing on New Zealand's extinct fauna and 20,000 years of dog domestication history.

His academic background includes a DPhil in Archaeological Science from the University of Oxford (2021-2024) as a Clarendon Scholar, an MSc in Zoology from the University of Otago (2019-2021), and a BSc in Geology and Zoology from the University of Otago (2015-2018).

Scarsbrook's research centers on Ancient DNA, Domestication, Population Genomics, Phylogenetics, and Conservation. He pioneered genomic characterization of New Zealand's extinct geckos—including describing a new species with Te Āti Awa iwi—and reconstructs dog evolutionary history through coevolutionary patterns and artificial selection impacts. His work bridges archaeology, genetics, and indigenous knowledge systems.

Publication analysis reveals consistent application of paleogenomic techniques across diverse taxa: geckos, fish, birds, and dogs. Key themes include nuclear genome imputation, minimally destructive DNA extraction, and investigating anthropogenic extinction drivers. Recent work emphasizes dog-human coevolution and artificial selection consequences over two centuries.

His accolades include the Clarendon Scholarship and Fulford Junior Research Fellowship. Current research is DFG-funded, continuing his Oxford DPhil work on dog domestication.

As part of the Wellcome Trust Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Scarsbrook collaborates with interdisciplinary teams including Māori iwi, conservation biologists, and archaeologists to advance methods in ancient DNA analysis and extinct biodiversity reconstruction.