Liran Carmel

Prof. Liran Carmel is a Professor of Genetics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences (Faculty of Science). His lab focuses on ancient DNA analysis to study human evolution, paleo-epigenetics, and molecular evolution. Recent work includes reconstructing Denisovan anatomy through epigenetic maps and analyzing Bronze Age population dynamics in the Southern Levant.

Research Interests:

• Decoding genetic and epigenetic changes driving human evolution
• Reconstructing ancient DNA methylation patterns
• Studying RNA biology mechanisms like splicing and nonsense-mediated decay
• Developing computational tools for paleogenomics (e.g., RoAM, Gene ORGANizer)

Key Achievements:

• Identified Denisovan morphological traits through epigenomic analysis
• Discovered Neolithic-era metabolic adaptations via ancient methylation studies
• Received the 2021 Massry Prize and 2020 Science Breakthrough award

Lab Activities:

• Current members: 4 PhD students, 1 MSc student, lab managers, and programmers
• Alumni include 19 researchers now in academia and industry roles worldwide
• Hosts annual retreats and collaborates internationally on projects like the Punic genome study