Wolfgang Haak

Wolfgang Haak is a Research Professor and Group Leader of the Department of Archaeogenetics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. He previously held leadership roles at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History (2015–2021) and served as an Adjunct Professor at The University of Adelaide's School of Biological Sciences (2016–2022). His research focuses on ancient DNA analysis to study human evolution, migration patterns, and prehistoric social structures.

Haak earned his PhD in Population Genetics from Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz (2006), specializing in Neolithic Central Europe. His work integrates genetics with archaeology, offering insights into topics like Neolithic farming practices, Bronze Age pastoralism, and the origins of Indo-European languages.

Key research interests include genetic continuity in European populations, the social organization of prehistoric communities, and the impact of cultural practices on biological traits. His contributions have advanced understanding of ancient diseases (e.g., malaria), kinship networks in burial sites, and the genetic basis of human migration patterns.