Guschanski lab
Primate diversity and evolution

We are interested in understanding evolutionary processes that lead to biological diversity within and among populations and species. Focusing on nonhuman primates, we study population dynamics, speciation, adaptation and character trait evolution by combining genetic and genomic tools with ecological, morphological and climatic data. Many primate taxa are threatened or endangered. Therefore, our research aims to contribute to their conservation by providing valuable arguments and data for conservation efforts.
Our lab has moved to the University of Edinburgh. While we will maintain some operations at Uppsala for the next few years, most research activities will be transferred to Scotland.
Studying primate diversity can be greatly facilitated by the combination of contemporary and historical (museum) samples. The temporal perspective provides a direct past-to-present comparison and enables us to study e.g. changes in genetic diversity, population size, species range, and provide insights into factors responsible for these changes.
The research program in our lab focuses on three main questions:
- What is the effect of ecological, climatic, and anthropogenic factors on animal population dynamics?
- What is the role of hybridization/introgression in shaping species diversity and driving speciation?
- To which extend do genomic innovations contribute to morphological and behavioral diversity
Gruppmedlemmar
Publications
-
Dental Calculus Formation Is Linked to Diet and Phylogeny in Mammals
Part of Ecology and Evolution, 2026
- DOI for Dental Calculus Formation Is Linked to Diet and Phylogeny in Mammals
- Download full text (pdf) of Dental Calculus Formation Is Linked to Diet and Phylogeny in Mammals
-
Avoidable false PSMC population size peaks occur across numerous studies
Part of Current Biology, 2025
- DOI for Avoidable false PSMC population size peaks occur across numerous studies
- Download full text (pdf) of Avoidable false PSMC population size peaks occur across numerous studies
-
Part of Quaternary Science Reviews, 2025
- DOI for Metagenomic insights into the diet and past Kolyma Lowland habitat from the intestinal content of a Late Pleistocene steppe bison
- Download full text (pdf) of Metagenomic insights into the diet and past Kolyma Lowland habitat from the intestinal content of a Late Pleistocene steppe bison
-
Part of Genome Biology, 2025
- DOI for Holotype genome of the lesula provides insights into demography and evolution of a threatened primate lineage
- Download full text (pdf) of Holotype genome of the lesula provides insights into demography and evolution of a threatened primate lineage
-
Part of Molecular Ecology Resources, 2025
- DOI for Host Traits Impact the Outcome of Metagenomic Library Preparation From Dental Calculus Samples Across Diverse Mammals
- Download full text (pdf) of Host Traits Impact the Outcome of Metagenomic Library Preparation From Dental Calculus Samples Across Diverse Mammals
-
Genomic Signatures of Island Colonisation in Highly Diverse Primates
Part of Molecular Ecology, 2025
- DOI for Genomic Signatures of Island Colonisation in Highly Diverse Primates
- Download full text (pdf) of Genomic Signatures of Island Colonisation in Highly Diverse Primates
-
Ancient reindeer mitogenomes reveal island-hopping colonisation of the Arctic archipelagos
Part of Scientific Reports, 2024
- DOI for Ancient reindeer mitogenomes reveal island-hopping colonisation of the Arctic archipelagos
- Download full text (pdf) of Ancient reindeer mitogenomes reveal island-hopping colonisation of the Arctic archipelagos
-
Screening great ape museum specimens for DNA viruses
Part of Scientific Reports, 2024
- DOI for Screening great ape museum specimens for DNA viruses
- Download full text (pdf) of Screening great ape museum specimens for DNA viruses
-
Part of BMC Ecology and Evolution, 2024
- DOI for Comparative genomic analyses provide new insights into evolutionary history and conservation genomics of gorillas
- Download full text (pdf) of Comparative genomic analyses provide new insights into evolutionary history and conservation genomics of gorillas
-
Y chromosome introgression between deeply divergent primate species
Part of Nature Communications, 2024
- DOI for Y chromosome introgression between deeply divergent primate species
- Download full text (pdf) of Y chromosome introgression between deeply divergent primate species