Rajiv McCoy

Rajiv McCoy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). He holds a PhD in Biology from Stanford University and completed postdoctoral training at Princeton University and the University of Washington. His research integrates computational and statistical approaches to study human evolution, genetics, and reproduction, with a focus on genomic mechanisms underlying aneuploidy, embryo development, and somatic evolution. The McCoy Lab is affiliated with JHU’s Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology, and Biophysics (CMDB) doctoral program.

Key research interests include understanding how germline and somatic evolution shape genome function and reproductive outcomes. The lab employs advanced genomic methods to analyze chromosomal instability, recombination patterns, and the genetic basis of aneuploidy in human embryos. Recent work has explored maternal meiotic recombination, genomic mosaicism, and the evolutionary implications of Neanderthal introgression.

Lab members have presented at conferences such as Cold Spring Harbor’s Biology of Genomes and the Broad Institute’s Mutations in Time and Space. Notable collaborations include studies with the Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis International Society (PGDIS) and the Origins of Aneuploidy Research Consortium (OARC). The lab actively engages in genomic benchmarking, pangenome research, and the development of improved reference genome tools.