Nicolás Rascovan

Nicolás Rascovan is a Professor and Head of the Microbial Paleogenomics Unit at the Institut Pasteur, within the Genomes and Genetics department in Paris, France. He leads the ERC-funded PaleoMetAmerica project, focusing on ancient DNA to understand the evolution of pathogens and human microbiomes, especially in pre-Columbian South American populations.

His research lies at the intersection of ancient DNA, microbial genomics, evolution, phylogenetics, population genetics, and bioinformatics. He investigates how infectious diseases and commensal microbes have evolved over time, using genomic data from ancient human remains to reconstruct pathogen spread and genomic changes across historical transitions such as colonization and industrialization.

His recent publications reveal groundbreaking insights into the deep history of diseases like plague and leprosy, showing their presence in the Americas long before European contact. These works, published in top journals like Science and Cell, highlight trends in paleogenomics, pathogen evolution, and the use of museum specimens for ancient pathogen recovery. His work integrates tools from genomics, archaeology, and history to provide a holistic view of human-microbe co-evolution.

• ERC Starting Grant 2020 – PaleoMetAmerica
• ANR PRC AAPG2023 – RETRACE (co-PI)

Rascovan mentors a team of PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and lab engineers, several of whom have gone on to secure academic and research positions globally. He is actively involved in scientific outreach, public communication, and collaborative international research. His lab fosters a transdisciplinary environment combining genomics, field archaeology, and computational biology to explore fundamental questions about human health and disease through time.