Carina Schlebusch
Professor at Department of Organismal Biology; Human Evolution
- Telephone:
- +46 18 471 55 15
- Mobile phone:
- +46 76 306 33 41
- E-mail:
- carina.schlebusch@ebc.uu.se
- Visiting address:
- EBC - Norbyvägen 18 C
- Postal address:
- Norbyvägen 18 C
752 36 UPPSALA
- Academic merits:
- PhD, Docent
- ORCID:
- 0000-0002-8160-9621
Short presentation
RESEARCH
In my research I use genetics as a tool to investigate human history. My special interest and expertise in the population history of Africa allow me the opportunity to investigate both recent population movements, associated with farming, as well as deep human history, which is rooted in Africa. My research group is positioned in the Human Evolution Program, at the Department of Organismal Biology, UU. Read more about my research group and our research interests HERE.
Biography
Education:
- PhD in Human Genetics from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Research Affiliations:
- Co-Principal Investigator, Center for the Human Past
- Palaeo-Research, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Publications
Selection of publications
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Population history and admixture of the Fulani people from the Sahel
Part of American Journal of Human Genetics, p. 261-275, 2025
- DOI for Population history and admixture of the Fulani people from the Sahel
- Download full text (pdf) of Population history and admixture of the Fulani people from the Sahel
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The genetic legacy of the expansion of Bantu-speaking peoples in Africa
Part of Nature, p. 540-547, 2024
- DOI for The genetic legacy of the expansion of Bantu-speaking peoples in Africa
- Download full text (pdf) of The genetic legacy of the expansion of Bantu-speaking peoples in Africa
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Going local with ancient DNA: A review of human histories from regional perspectives
Part of Science, p. 53-58, 2023
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Demographic and Selection Histories of Populations Across the Sahel/Savannah Belt
Part of Molecular biology and evolution, 2022
- DOI for Demographic and Selection Histories of Populations Across the Sahel/Savannah Belt
- Download full text (pdf) of Demographic and Selection Histories of Populations Across the Sahel/Savannah Belt
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Southern African ancient genomes estimate modern human divergence to 350,000 to 260,000 years ago
Part of Science, p. 652-655, 2017
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Human Adaptation to Arsenic-Rich Environments
Part of Molecular biology and evolution, p. 1544-1555, 2015
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Genomic Variation in Seven Khoe-San Groups Reveals Adaptation and Complex African History
Part of Science, p. 374-379, 2012
Recent publications
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Part of Nature Communications, 2026
- DOI for Analysis of medieval burials from Ibiza reveals genetic and pathogenic diversity during the Islamic period
- Download full text (pdf) of Analysis of medieval burials from Ibiza reveals genetic and pathogenic diversity during the Islamic period
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Homo sapiens-specific evolution unveiled by ancient southern African genomes
Part of Nature, p. 156-163, 2026
- DOI for Homo sapiens-specific evolution unveiled by ancient southern African genomes
- Download full text (pdf) of Homo sapiens-specific evolution unveiled by ancient southern African genomes
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Niger-Congo archaeolinguistics, including Bantu
Part of The Oxford Handbook of Archaeology and Language, p. 592-618, Oxford University Press, 2025
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The Early Bantu Expansion into Central Africa: New Data and Insights from Population Genetics
Part of An Archaeology of the Bantu Expansion, p. 172-194, Routledge, 2025
- DOI for The Early Bantu Expansion into Central Africa: New Data and Insights from Population Genetics
- Download full text (pdf) of The Early Bantu Expansion into Central Africa: New Data and Insights from Population Genetics
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Part of American Scientist, p. 232-239, 2025
All publications
Articles in journal
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Part of Nature Communications, 2026
- DOI for Analysis of medieval burials from Ibiza reveals genetic and pathogenic diversity during the Islamic period
- Download full text (pdf) of Analysis of medieval burials from Ibiza reveals genetic and pathogenic diversity during the Islamic period
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Homo sapiens-specific evolution unveiled by ancient southern African genomes
Part of Nature, p. 156-163, 2026
- DOI for Homo sapiens-specific evolution unveiled by ancient southern African genomes
- Download full text (pdf) of Homo sapiens-specific evolution unveiled by ancient southern African genomes
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Part of American Scientist, p. 232-239, 2025
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Wide-scale Geographical Analysis of Genetic Ancestry in the South African Coloured Population
Part of BMC Biology, 2025
- DOI for Wide-scale Geographical Analysis of Genetic Ancestry in the South African Coloured Population
- Download full text (pdf) of Wide-scale Geographical Analysis of Genetic Ancestry in the South African Coloured Population
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Genetic Origins of the Kiritimati Population from Central-Eastern Micronesia
Part of Genome Biology and Evolution, 2025
- DOI for Genetic Origins of the Kiritimati Population from Central-Eastern Micronesia
- Download full text (pdf) of Genetic Origins of the Kiritimati Population from Central-Eastern Micronesia
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Population history and admixture of the Fulani people from the Sahel
Part of American Journal of Human Genetics, p. 261-275, 2025
- DOI for Population history and admixture of the Fulani people from the Sahel
- Download full text (pdf) of Population history and admixture of the Fulani people from the Sahel
-
The genetic legacy of the expansion of Bantu-speaking peoples in Africa
Part of Nature, p. 540-547, 2024
- DOI for The genetic legacy of the expansion of Bantu-speaking peoples in Africa
- Download full text (pdf) of The genetic legacy of the expansion of Bantu-speaking peoples in Africa
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BaTwa populations from Zambia retain ancestry of past hunter-gatherer groups
Part of Nature Communications, 2024
- DOI for BaTwa populations from Zambia retain ancestry of past hunter-gatherer groups
- Download full text (pdf) of BaTwa populations from Zambia retain ancestry of past hunter-gatherer groups
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Zuurberg (Eastern Cape, South Africa) revisited: human remains, dating and archaeological findings
Part of Azania, p. 294-314, 2024
- DOI for Zuurberg (Eastern Cape, South Africa) revisited: human remains, dating and archaeological findings
- Download full text (pdf) of Zuurberg (Eastern Cape, South Africa) revisited: human remains, dating and archaeological findings
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Eurasian back-migration into Northeast Africa was a complex and multifaceted process
Part of PLOS ONE, 2023
- DOI for Eurasian back-migration into Northeast Africa was a complex and multifaceted process
- Download full text (pdf) of Eurasian back-migration into Northeast Africa was a complex and multifaceted process
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Genetic structure and characteristics of Tibetan chickens
Part of Poultry Science, 2023
- DOI for Genetic structure and characteristics of Tibetan chickens
- Download full text (pdf) of Genetic structure and characteristics of Tibetan chickens
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African Farmers, Not Stone Age Foragers: Reassessment of Human Remains from the Mumbwa Caves, Zambia
Part of African Archaeological Review, p. 53-72, 2023
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Rickettsia felis DNA recovered from a child who lived in southern Africa 2000 years ago
Part of Communications Biology, 2023
- DOI for Rickettsia felis DNA recovered from a child who lived in southern Africa 2000 years ago
- Download full text (pdf) of Rickettsia felis DNA recovered from a child who lived in southern Africa 2000 years ago
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Demographic and Selection Histories of Populations Across the Sahel/Savannah Belt
Part of Molecular biology and evolution, 2022
- DOI for Demographic and Selection Histories of Populations Across the Sahel/Savannah Belt
- Download full text (pdf) of Demographic and Selection Histories of Populations Across the Sahel/Savannah Belt
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The loss of biodiversity in Madagascar is contemporaneous with major demographic events
Part of Current Biology, p. 4997-+, 2022
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Genomics: Testing the limits of de-extinction
Part of Current Biology, 2022
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Human adaptation to arsenic in Bolivians living in the Andes
Part of Chemosphere, 2022
- DOI for Human adaptation to arsenic in Bolivians living in the Andes
- Download full text (pdf) of Human adaptation to arsenic in Bolivians living in the Andes
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Evolutionary genomics in Africa
Part of Human Molecular Genetics, 2021
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Human origins in Southern African palaeo-wetlands?: Strong claims from weak evidence
Part of Journal of Archaeological Science, 2021
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Male-biased migration from East Africa introduced pastoralism into southern Africa
Part of BMC Biology, 2021
- DOI for Male-biased migration from East Africa introduced pastoralism into southern Africa
- Download full text (pdf) of Male-biased migration from East Africa introduced pastoralism into southern Africa
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The performance of common SNP arrays in assigning African mitochondrial haplogroups
Part of BMC GENOMIC DATA, 2021
- DOI for The performance of common SNP arrays in assigning African mitochondrial haplogroups
- Download full text (pdf) of The performance of common SNP arrays in assigning African mitochondrial haplogroups
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Part of BMC Bioinformatics, 2021
- DOI for Comparison of sequencing data processing pipelines and application to underrepresented African human populations
- Download full text (pdf) of Comparison of sequencing data processing pipelines and application to underrepresented African human populations
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The Genetic Variation of Lactase Persistence Alleles in Sudan and South Sudan
Part of Genome Biology and Evolution, 2021
- DOI for The Genetic Variation of Lactase Persistence Alleles in Sudan and South Sudan
- Download full text (pdf) of The Genetic Variation of Lactase Persistence Alleles in Sudan and South Sudan
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Genetic substructure and complex demographic history of South African Bantu speakers
Part of Nature Communications, 2021
- DOI for Genetic substructure and complex demographic history of South African Bantu speakers
- Download full text (pdf) of Genetic substructure and complex demographic history of South African Bantu speakers
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Part of American Journal of Physical Anthropology, p. 701-713, 2021
- DOI for Later Stone Age human hair from Vaalkrans Shelter, Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, reveals genetic affinity to Khoe groups
- Download full text (pdf) of Later Stone Age human hair from Vaalkrans Shelter, Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, reveals genetic affinity to Khoe groups
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Multiple migrations to the Philippines during the last 50,000 years
Part of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2021
- DOI for Multiple migrations to the Philippines during the last 50,000 years
- Download full text (pdf) of Multiple migrations to the Philippines during the last 50,000 years
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Philippine Ayta possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world
Part of Current Biology, p. 4219-4230, 2021
- DOI for Philippine Ayta possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world
- Download full text (pdf) of Philippine Ayta possess the highest level of Denisovan ancestry in the world
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Population collapse in Congo rainforest from 400 CE urges reassessment of the Bantu Expansion
Part of Science Advances, 2021
- DOI for Population collapse in Congo rainforest from 400 CE urges reassessment of the Bantu Expansion
- Download full text (pdf) of Population collapse in Congo rainforest from 400 CE urges reassessment of the Bantu Expansion
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Closing the Gaps in Genomic Research
Part of Trends in Genetics, p. 104-106, 2021
- DOI for Closing the Gaps in Genomic Research
- Download full text (pdf) of Closing the Gaps in Genomic Research
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Part of Azania, p. 508-538, 2021
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Part of Molecular biology and evolution, p. 2944-2954, 2020
- DOI for Khoe-San Genomes Reveal Unique Variation and Confirm the Deepest Population Divergence in Homo sapiens
- Download full text (pdf) of Khoe-San Genomes Reveal Unique Variation and Confirm the Deepest Population Divergence in Homo sapiens
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Part of Molecular biology and evolution, p. 406-416, 2020
- DOI for Along the Indian Ocean Coast: Genomic Variation in Mozambique Provides New Insights into the Bantu Expansion
- Download full text (pdf) of Along the Indian Ocean Coast: Genomic Variation in Mozambique Provides New Insights into the Bantu Expansion
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Patterns of African and Asian admixture in the Afrikaner population of South Africa
Part of BMC Biology, 2020
- DOI for Patterns of African and Asian admixture in the Afrikaner population of South Africa
- Download full text (pdf) of Patterns of African and Asian admixture in the Afrikaner population of South Africa
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Y-Chromosome Variation in Southern African Khoe-San Populations Based on Whole-Genome Sequences
Part of Genome Biology and Evolution, p. 1031-1039, 2020
- DOI for Y-Chromosome Variation in Southern African Khoe-San Populations Based on Whole-Genome Sequences
- Download full text (pdf) of Y-Chromosome Variation in Southern African Khoe-San Populations Based on Whole-Genome Sequences
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Sahelian pastoralism from the perspective of variants associated with lactase persistence.
Part of American Journal of Physical Anthropology, p. 423-436, 2020
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African population history: an ancient DNA perspective.
Part of Current Opinion in Genetics and Development, p. 8-15, 2020
- DOI for African population history: an ancient DNA perspective.
- Download full text (pdf) of African population history: an ancient DNA perspective.
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Four Iron Age women from KwaZulu-Natal: biological anthropology, genetics and archaeological context
Part of Southern African Humanities, p. 23-56, 2019
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Part of BMC Genomics, 2019
- DOI for Population history and genetic adaptation of the Fulani nomads: inferences from genome-wide data and the lactase persistence trait
- Download full text (pdf) of Population history and genetic adaptation of the Fulani nomads: inferences from genome-wide data and the lactase persistence trait
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Part of Molecular biology and evolution, p. 1849-1861, 2019
- DOI for Genetic Affinities among Southern Africa Hunter-Gatherers and the Impact of Admixing Farmer and Herder Populations
- Download full text (pdf) of Genetic Affinities among Southern Africa Hunter-Gatherers and the Impact of Admixing Farmer and Herder Populations
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Unraveling African diversity from a cross‐disciplinary perspective
Part of Evolutionary anthropology (Print), p. 288-292, 2019
- DOI for Unraveling African diversity from a cross‐disciplinary perspective
- Download full text (pdf) of Unraveling African diversity from a cross‐disciplinary perspective
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Genetic data and radiocarbon dating question Plovers Lake as a Middle Stone Age hominin-bearing site
Part of Journal of Human Evolution, p. 203-209, 2019
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Tales of Human Migration, Admixture, and Selection in Africa
Part of Annual review of genomics and human genetics (Print), p. 405-428, 2018
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Patterns of variation in cis-regulatory regions: examining evidence of purifying selection
Part of BMC Genomics, 2018
- DOI for Patterns of variation in cis-regulatory regions: examining evidence of purifying selection
- Download full text (pdf) of Patterns of variation in cis-regulatory regions: examining evidence of purifying selection
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Ancient human DNA: How sequencing the genome of a boy from Ballito Bay changed human history
Part of South African Journal of Science, 2018
- DOI for Ancient human DNA: How sequencing the genome of a boy from Ballito Bay changed human history
- Download full text (pdf) of Ancient human DNA: How sequencing the genome of a boy from Ballito Bay changed human history
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Part of PLOS Genetics, 2017
- DOI for Northeast African genomic variation shaped by the continuity of indigenous groups and Eurasian migrations
- Download full text (pdf) of Northeast African genomic variation shaped by the continuity of indigenous groups and Eurasian migrations
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Southern African ancient genomes estimate modern human divergence to 350,000 to 260,000 years ago
Part of Science, p. 652-655, 2017
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Part of American Journal of Physical Anthropology, p. 395-395, 2017
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Adaptation to infectious disease exposure in indigenous Southern African populations
Part of Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences, 2017
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The disappearing San of southeastern Africa and their genetic affinities
Part of Human Genetics, p. 1365-1373, 2016
- DOI for The disappearing San of southeastern Africa and their genetic affinities
- Download full text (pdf) of The disappearing San of southeastern Africa and their genetic affinities
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Part of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, p. 1406-1415, 2015
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Human Adaptation to Arsenic-Rich Environments
Part of Molecular biology and evolution, p. 1544-1555, 2015
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Part of Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences, 2014
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Part of Current Biology, p. 852-858, 2014
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Part of BMC Evolutionary Biology, p. 56, 2013
- DOI for MtDNA control region variation affirms diversity and deep sub-structure in populations from southern Africa
- Download full text (pdf) of MtDNA control region variation affirms diversity and deep sub-structure in populations from southern Africa
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Stronger signal of recent selection for lactase persistence in Maasai than in Europeans
Part of European Journal of Human Genetics, p. 550-553, 2013
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Bridging disciplines to better elucidate the evolution of early Homo sapiens in southern Africa
Part of South African Journal of Science, 2013
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Possible positive selection for an arsenic-protective haplotype in humans
Part of Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives, p. 53-58, 2013
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Genomic Variation in Seven Khoe-San Groups Reveals Adaptation and Complex African History
Part of Science, p. 374-379, 2012
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Part of Human Biology, p. 695-724, 2012
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Genetic variation of 15 autosomal STR loci in various populations from southern Africa
Part of Forensic Science International, 2012
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Part of Investigative Genetics, 2011
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Issues raised by use of ethnic-group names in genome study
Part of Nature, p. 487-487, 2010
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Part of BMC Bioinformatics
Articles, review/survey
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Going local with ancient DNA: A review of human histories from regional perspectives
Part of Science, p. 53-58, 2023
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Revisiting the demographic history of Central African populations from a genetic perspective
Part of Human Population Genetics and Genomics, p. 1-29, 2021
- DOI for Revisiting the demographic history of Central African populations from a genetic perspective
- Download full text (pdf) of Revisiting the demographic history of Central African populations from a genetic perspective
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Bantu-speaker migration and admixture in southern Africa
Part of Human Molecular Genetics, 2021
- DOI for Bantu-speaker migration and admixture in southern Africa
- Download full text (pdf) of Bantu-speaker migration and admixture in southern Africa
Chapters in book
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Niger-Congo archaeolinguistics, including Bantu
Part of The Oxford Handbook of Archaeology and Language, p. 592-618, Oxford University Press, 2025
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The Early Bantu Expansion into Central Africa: New Data and Insights from Population Genetics
Part of An Archaeology of the Bantu Expansion, p. 172-194, Routledge, 2025
- DOI for The Early Bantu Expansion into Central Africa: New Data and Insights from Population Genetics
- Download full text (pdf) of The Early Bantu Expansion into Central Africa: New Data and Insights from Population Genetics
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Ancient DNA Studies and African Population History
Part of Africa, the Cradle of Human Diversity, p. 236-256, Brill Nijhoff, 2022
- DOI for Ancient DNA Studies and African Population History
- Download full text (pdf) of Ancient DNA Studies and African Population History
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Engagement Cross-Disciplinary Research in Africa
Part of Africa, the Cradle of Human Diversity, p. 1-6, Brill Nijhoff, 2022
- DOI for Engagement Cross-Disciplinary Research in Africa
- Download full text (pdf) of Engagement Cross-Disciplinary Research in Africa
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Analysis of Population Structure
Part of Human Population Genomics, p. 47-68, Springer, 2021
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Population migration and adaptation during the African Holocene: A genetic perspective
Part of Modern Human Origins and Dispersal, p. 261-283, Kerns Verlag, 2019
Manuscripts (preprints)
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Selective sweeps among transcribed pseudogenes underline their utility in the human genome
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Full genomic Y chromosomal variation in southern African Khoe-San populations
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The Evolution of Adaptive traits in Indigenous human populations in Sub-Saharan Africa
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Eurasian back-migrations into Northeast Africa was a complex and multifaceted process
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Ancestry contributions within geographically dispersed South African Coloured groups
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Genetic contrasts and connections between parallel cultures in Neolithic Scandinavia