Nikhil Chaudhary

Dr Nikhil Chaudhary is a Lecturer in Human Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology within the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge. He is based in the Henry Wellcome Building and is affiliated with the Evolutionary Psychiatry Group at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He actively supervises PhD students and is available for consultancy.

Research Overview:

Chaudhary's research spans human evolutionary ecology, cultural evolution, and evolutionary psychiatry, with a particular focus on hunter-gatherer societies in Africa and East Asia. His fieldwork with the BaYaka hunter-gatherers of northern Congo has been central to understanding how social relationships influence health, mating, and fertility. He is currently pioneering work in evolutionary psychiatry, investigating whether mental disorders are 'diseases of modernity' resulting from mismatches between ancestral and modern lifestyles.

Publications & Impact:

His work has been published in top-tier journals such as Nature Communications, PNAS, Science, and Current Biology. His research has also received significant media attention, including features in The New York Times, BBC News, Scientific American, and NPR, highlighting the broader societal relevance of his findings on parenting, cooperation, and mental health.

Teaching & Supervision:

Chaudhary contributes to teaching within the Department of Archaeology and welcomes prospective PhD students interested in evolutionary anthropology, hunter-gatherer studies, and evolutionary approaches to mental health.