Research in the Ramachandran lab addresses problems in population genetics and evolutionary theory, generally using humans as a study system. Our work uses mathematical modeling, applied statistical methods, and computer simulations to make inferences from genetic data. We answer questions like: what loci are under strong adaptive selection in the human genome? are there genetic pathways we can identify that underlie common diseases such as diabetes? does genetic variation account for some ethnic disparities in disease incidence and outcome? what features of human demographic history can we infer from genetic data alone?
Our research and a subset of lab members are currently funded by multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health.