Esteban Parra

Professor and Associate Chair, Graduate (UTM)
HSC 352
(905) 828-3889

Campus

Fields of Study

Areas of Interest

On Leave from July 2023 to December 2023

Research Keywords: Biological & Molecular Anthropology; human genetics; human evolution; genetic variation within and between human populations; human adaptation; genetic architecture of complex traits and diseases

Research Region: Americas, Europe, South Asia

Biography

Dr. Esteban J. Parra is a molecular anthropologist interested in the application of genetic markers to answer questions related to the evolution of human populations and to identify the genetic risk factors involved in complex diseases (e.g. type 2 diabetes). A major focus of his research has been devoted to the identification of the genetic mechanisms involved in the adaptation of human populations to different environments. Work in this area includes research on the evolution and genetic basis of skin pigmentation, a trait showing extensive geographic variation in human populations, and studies exploring adaptation to altitude in the Andean region. Dr. Parra has also investigated the seasonal variation of vitamin D levels in individuals of diverse ancestry living in the Greater Toronto Area. Finally, another component of his research has been the study of admixture, the process of mixing of human populations. He has investigated extensively the admixture process that took place in the Americas since the 15th century.

Education

Ph.D. (University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 1993)

Publications

For a complete list of publications, including relevant pdf files, please go to Researchgate, or GoogleScholar

Graduate Students

Graduate Student Publications