Dr. Mario Apata – Best Postdoctoral Presentation

I am a postdoctoral fellow in the Sajantila Lab at the University of Helsinki. My research focuses on the toxicological impacts of arsenic and mercury exposure in ancient Andean populations, integrating ancient DNA, functional genomics, and toxicological approaches. This work builds on my PhD in Dr. Anne Stone’s lab at Arizona State University, where I investigated the genomic history of pre-Hispanic populations from northern Chile and the molecular basis of human arsenic tolerance.

My AABA podium presentation, “Ancient and Functional Genomics of Metal Tolerance in Peru and Chile,” examined how human populations have adapted to long-term exposure to toxic metals. Focusing on arsenic in the Andean region, I presented evidence for genetic adaptation mediated by regulatory SNPs in the AS3MT gene. These Andean-specific variants were identified in ancient genomes from northern Chile, including early Chinchorro and later Andean individuals, and their allele frequencies were reconstructed over 7,000 years, revealing the temporal dynamics of adaptation. My ongoing work extends this research to populations in Peru, where I am investigating the role of metal transporter genes in shaping toxicological susceptibility and adaptation.

I plan to continue advancing my research on arsenic and mercury exposure in ancient Peruvian and Chilean populations. In the long term, I aim to establish an independent research group that integrates ancient DNA, microbiome, and functional genomics methods to investigate human adaptation and disease.

I value AAAG’s commitment to building an inclusive and collaborative research community that brings together diverse disciplines and perspectives. I also appreciate the training and networking opportunities it provides. I am deeply honored to have received the AAAG OTPAG award and grateful to be part of this supportive community.

Audrey Arner – Best Graduate Student Podium Presentation

I am a Ph.D. candidate at Vanderbilt University, where I am a member of Dr. Amanda Lea’s lab. Broadly, I am interested in how past evolutionary pressures interact with rapid environmental change to shape contemporary phenotypes. During my PhD, I have explored these questions through fieldwork collecting detailed interview, phenotypic, and genomic data. Another key component of my dissertation focuses on how we communicate and engage around genetics research with the communities involved.

My podium presentation at the AABA meeting, “Genetic and Transcriptional Signatures of Evolutionary Mismatch in the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia,” investigated the genomic underpinnings of evolutionary mismatch in the Orang Asli, the Indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia. Evolutionary mismatch is the idea that traits that evolved in the past may not be beneficial in novel, industrialized environments, and predicts genotype-by-environment (GxE) interactions enriched in regions under selection. One notable result from this work is that we identified a region under selection that is a known malaria drug target and found that SNPs in this region are associated with malaria seropositivity in our dataset. More broadly, we found that lifestyle-responsive loci, including both differentially expressed genes and GxE eQTL, are enriched in selected regions, supporting the mechanistic basis of mismatch.

Moving forward, I plan to graduate in 2027 and hope to continue with a career in academia. As a postdoc, I aim to continue studying evolutionary questions about health-related phenotypes, with a particular focus on expanding my expertise in functional genomics and incorporating primate model systems.

One of the most rewarding aspects of being part of AAAG has been the opportunity to connect with an incredibly supportive community. In particular, the speed networking events have allowed me to build relationships with people across career stages, many of whom continue to support my career and work. It is always a highlight of the AABA meetings to reconnect with this community, and I am very honored to have received the AAAG OTPAG award.

Megan McNamara – Best Graduate Student Poster Presentation

I am a second-year PhD student at the University of Oregon, where I work with Dr. Kirstin Sterner in the Molecular Anthropology Lab Group. My research centers on better understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the primate brain, particularly in the context of aging. To study this, I use a “multi-omics” approach.

My poster presentation at this year’s AABA meeting was titled, “Characterizing Age-Related Gene Expression in the Rhesus Macaque Prefrontal Cortex.” For this study, we measured gene expression in 70 banked prefrontal cortex samples from rhesus macaques aged 3–35 years (~9 to 105 human years) using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). I identified and characterized approximately 3,000 genes with age-associated expression. Interestingly, these genes clustered into four distinct gene expression trajectories that diverge during early adulthood and midlife, highlighting these periods as important for primate brain aging. Finally, I compared my prefrontal cortex data to RNA-seq data generated from matched hippocampus samples and found that only about 22% of the total age-associated genes were shared between the two brain regions, signifying important region-specific differences. This work is currently being written and submitted for my Master’s degree and will ultimately lay the foundation for the first chapter of my dissertation.

The best part of being an AAAG member is the wonderful people I’ve had the pleasure to connect with. Being part of such a supportive community, particularly for early-career researchers, has helped me feel more confident in communicating my research and forming professional connections. I am extremely honored to receive the 2026 OTPAG award.