The team is interested in defining the extent of human genome diversity and in turn allowing for the benefits of genomic medicine to become available for all globally, including under studied indigenous populations. The genomic information of early-diverged human populations provides a map of human origins, evolution and adaptation. The data is being used to inform human health and disease.

To address early modern human origins the team has focused their research within Southern Africa, arguably the origin of all mankind and home to the most divergent human populations. These studies include the click-speaking foraging KhoeSan peoples and the Southern and Southwestern Bantu agropastoral peoples. Comparative analyses with recently diverged 'out-of-Africa' populations provides key signatures to human adaptations.

Photos © Chris Bennett, Sydney, Australia