Tina Lasisi

Tina Lasisi is an Assistant Professor and LSA Collegiate Fellow at the University of Michigan, affiliated with the African Studies Center. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from Penn State University (2021) and a BA in Archaeology & Anthropology from the University of Cambridge (2014). Her primary research focuses on human biological variation, particularly hair and skin pigmentation, intersecting with evolutionary biology, genetics, and biometric technology. She leads the Lasisi Lab, which develops imaging tools for hair morphology and skin pigmentation, investigates genetic mechanisms of human diversity, and explores forensic and health implications of these traits.

Her interdisciplinary work involves collaborations across population genetics, computer science, dermatology, and forensics. Notable achievements include the 2024 AABA-Leakey Foundation Award and being named to Popular Science’s 2023 Brilliant 10 list. She teaches courses such as Nature/Culture Now! and Introduction to Anthropology, and advises PhD candidate Paloma Contreras and Master’s student Kianna Hendricks. Her lab team includes researchers and students focused on advancing methodologies in human phenotypic analysis.

• Awards: 2024 AABA-Leakey Award, 2023 Popular Science Brilliant 10, 2022 Graff Prize, 2019 Wenner-Gren Grant, 2018 Juan Comas Prize
• Grants: NSF Dissertation Improvement Grant (2019), Wenner-Gren Foundation Grant (2019)
• Labs/Teams: Lasisi Lab (focusing on human phenotypic diversity and forensic genetics)