Sarah Tishkoff

American geneticist

Sarah Anne Tishkoff (born December 26, 1965) is an American geneticist and the David and Lyn Silfen Professor in the Department of Genetics and Biology at the University of Pennsylvania. She also serves as a director for the American Society of Human Genetics and is an associate editor at PLOS Genetics, G3 (Genes, Genomes, and Genetics), and Genome Research. She is also a member of the scientific advisory board at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.Tishkoff has been a leading figure in using genetics to advance understanding of modern human diversity. In particular she has made significant contributions to research on human genetic variation in African populations. In 1996, she and colleagues published the first paper to support the Out-of-Africa hypothesis using the nuclear genome, illustrating the extent of diversity among African populations. In 2001, Tishkoff and colleagues were some of the first to show the genomic signature of natural selection in human populations.Some of her most cited research is a study on genomic variation around the lactase gene, the first to show coevolution of a cultural and genetic trait. Tishkoff was able to link evolution of cattle domestication to lactase persistence. Her more recent work includes the largest genomic study across ethnically diverse Africans, and the identification of novel genetic variants associated with skin color.Tishkoff is a recipient of a National Institutes of Health Director's Pioneer Award, a David and Lucile Packard Career Award, a Burroughs/Wellcome Fund Career Award, and a Penn Integrates Knowledge (PIK) endowed chair. She was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2017.
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