Simon Myers

Professor Simon Myers is a Professor of Mathematical Genomics at the University of Oxford, affiliated with the Department of Statistics and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics (WTCHG). He holds a college affiliation with St John's College. His research focuses on population genetics, particularly using stochastic models to study genetic variation and recombination patterns across species, including humans, chimpanzees, and mice. Key contributions include identifying recombination hotspots, the PRDM9 gene's role in hotspot activity, and methods for mapping disease genes in admixed populations. Collaborations include the Broad Institute and the 1000 Genomes Project. His work bridges statistical genetics, computational biology, and evolutionary biology.

Research Interests: Myers' group explores recombination dynamics, genetic diversity, and the application of statistical methods to human population genetics. Notable areas include the discovery of sequence motifs linked to recombination hotspots, the evolutionary implications of PRDM9 binding, and the development of tools for analyzing admixed populations. Current projects involve fine-mapping association signals and studying ancient admixture in human and other species.

Publications: Myers' recent work includes studies on fine-scale population structure, haplotype reference panels for the UK Biobank, and the genetic basis of human phenotypes. His research trends emphasize leveraging genomic data to uncover evolutionary mechanisms and improve disease gene mapping in diverse populations.

Advising and Labs: He supervises graduate students Hrushikesh Loya and Lino Ferreira. His research groups include Statistical Genetics and Epidemiology and Computational Biology and Bioinformatics. The Myers Group's lab is accessible via https://myersgroup.github.io/.