Mark D. Shriver

Photo of Mark Shriver


Associate Professor of Anthropology and Genetics
The Pennsylvania State University
409 Carpenter Building
University Park, PA 16802
(814)863-1078
mds17@psu.edu
http://www.anthro.psu.edu/biolab/



Education:

BS in Biology from SUNY/Stony Brook in 1987
Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences (Genetics) from University of Texas Health Science Center/Houston in 1993
Postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pittsburgh, 1993-1997

Research Activities and Interests:

Generally, Dr. Shriver's lab works on applications of population genomics to questions of human origins and human evolution with a particular focus on normal and disease phenotypes that may have been subject to recent genetic adaptation (natural and sexual selection). These phenotypes include chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), obesity, prostate cancer, and hypertension, and normal variation in common traits, namely skin and hair pigmentation, tooth features, dermatoglyphics, facial features, and stature. One approach to these questions that his lab is using is the Admixture Mapping method. This method may likely prove one of the most powerful means to identify genes for polygenic traits where the parental populations of the hybrid group differed in the prevalence of the trait interest. Since little is known of the proportions and dynamics of admixture in the US, one major effort is to construct and interpret a US admixture map. His lab uses both molecular and theoretical methods and also has an active field research component.

Field Work:

Dr. Shriver has an active research program that involves ascertaining study subjects from the resident population of State College and surrounds. Subjects are interviewed and examined in the Anthropometrics Laboratory (room 513) the Carpenter Building. The focus of this research is the genetics of normal variation in common traits, with the currently active protocol being, "Genetics of pigmentation, ancestry and facial features". Periodically, the Anthropometrics Lab will go on field trips, this summer (2005) sampling will be taking place in various parts of France.

Courses Taught:

#