Nathaniel Pearson

Biography

BS, AB, Stanford University. PhD, The University of Chicago. Formally senior director of Scientific Engagement and Public Outreach at New York Genome Center, Pearson worked with his colleagues to build simple, engaging tools that compare one whole human genome to the next in order to cast new light on human health and history. Fascinated by human genetic diversity since working as a young student in the laboratory of Luca Cavalli-Sforza at Stanford University, he traveled with Spencer Wells (now head of the Genographic Project) to collect DNA from people living throughout Eurasia in order to reveal traces of ancient migrations recorded in their genomes. In doctoral work at the University of Chicago, he studied patterns of sequence variation on the great ape sex chromosomes, spotlighting how mutation, recombination, and natural selection have jointly made the X and Y ever more different from each other. Later, in post-doctoral work at the University of Michigan, he delved into the emerging world of high-throughput sequencing, grasping its power to address important open questions in biology. SLC, 2017- BS, AB, Stanford University. PhD, The University of Chicago. Formally senior director of Scientific Engagement and Public Outreach at New York Genome Center, Pearson worked with his colleagues to build simple, engaging tools that compare one whole human genome to the next in order to cast new light on human health and history. Fascinated by human genetic diversity since working as a young student in the laboratory of Luca Cavalli-Sforza at Stanford University, he traveled with Spencer Wells (now head of the Genographic Project) to collect DNA from people living throughout Eurasia in order to reveal traces of ancient migrations recorded in their genomes. In doctoral work at the University of Chicago, he studied patterns of sequence variation on the great ape sex chromosomes, spotlighting how mutation, recombination, and natural selection have jointly made the X and Y ever more different from each other. Later, in post-doctoral work at the University of Michigan, he delved into the emerging world of high-throughput sequencing, grasping its power to address important open questions in biology. SLC, 2017-

Research Interest

Human Genetics