Ali Akbari

Ancient DNA reveals matrilineal organisation and recurrent unions between dominant matrilines in Iron Age Britain

The paper uses ancient DNA to show matrilineal kinship structures and recurrent unions between dominant maternal groups in Iron Age Britain.

TCR germline diversity reveals evidence of natural selection on variable and joining alpha chain genes

The paper maps common TCR alleles in 2,668 donors, finds natural selection on TRAJ and TRAV genes, and shows allelic polymorphism affects T cell function.

Buried in two places: Lineages from elite Maya tombs also found in distant caves

The paper analyzes genetic data from Maya tombs and caves to show that elite lineages extended their ancestral connections across distant locations.

Ancient DNA reveals that natural selection has upregulated the immune system over the last 10,000 years

This study uses ancient DNA and genomic data to show natural selection has strengthened the immune system over 10,000 years, with both protective and harmful effects on immune-related diseases.

Convergent natural selection at both ends of Eurasia during parallel radical lifestyle shifts in the last ten millennia

The paper identifies convergent natural selection in East and West Eurasia for immune and cardiometabolic traits, but finds distinct patterns for light skin color.

Long shared haplotypes identify the Southern Urals as a primary source for the 10th century Hungarians

The paper uses ancient DNA from the Southern Urals to link the 10th century Hungarians to the Karayakupovo archaeological horizon.

Ancient DNA reveals diverse community organizations in the 5th millennium BCE Carpathian Basin

This study uses ancient DNA to show genetic continuity and differences in kinship systems among Early Copper Age communities in the Carpathian Basin.

The Genetic Origin of the Indo-Europeans

This paper uses ancient DNA data to trace the genetic origins of the Yamnaya culture and links their expansion to the spread of Indo-European languages.

Pervasive findings of directional selection realize the promise of ancient DNA to elucidate human adaptation

This paper detects widespread directional selection in ancient DNA data, identifying 347 genome-wide significant loci and linking them to traits like body fat, skin color, and cognitive performance.

ancIBD - Screening for identity by descent segments in human ancient DNA

ancIBD identifies IBD segments in ancient DNA to detect relatives and migration patterns, revealing long-distance connections and Steppe ancestry spread in Europe.

Postglacial genomes from foragers across Northern Eurasia reveal prehistoric mobility associated with the spread of the Uralic and Yeniseian languages

Ancient DNA from 181 North Eurasian foragers traces a stable west-to-east ancestry gradient and ties Yakutia_LNBA ancestry, with Y-haplogroup N, to Uralic speakers and Seima-Turbino metallurgy.

Social and genetic diversity in first farmers of central Europe

This study analyzes ancient DNA from LBK Neolithic sites to show genetic differences between eastern and western LBK populations, with evidence of patrilocality and no evidence of male-biased WHG admixture.

Genome-wide data from medieval German Jews show that the Ashkenazi founder event pre-dated the 14th century

The paper analyzes genome-wide data from medieval German Jews to show the Ashkenazi founder event occurred before the 14th century, with genetic heterogeneity not present in modern Ashkenazi Jews.

A unified genealogy of modern and ancient genomes

This paper introduces a non-parametric method to infer human genealogical history from modern and ancient genomes, demonstrating its ability to reconstruct relationships and identify descendants of ancient samples.

No statistical evidence for an effect of CCR5-Δ32 on lifespan in the UK Biobank cohort

The paper reanalyzes UK Biobank data and finds no evidence for CCR5-Δ32 affecting lifespan, attributing previous findings to technical artifacts.