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Department of Archaeology

 

Biography

My research uses population genetics to better understand human evolutionary history, including adaptation, genetic demography and archaic introgression. I am interested in how large-scale patterns of genetic variation, over countries and continents, are impacted by local social behaviours such as kinship practices, migration and movement decisions, and social hierarchies. I combine modelling and simulation with information from human genetics and other sources (linguistics, movement ecology, ancient DNA, domesticate genetics and the microbiome) to better understand these processes. My work has a regional focus in South Asia and islands in Southeast Asia.

I will be on Research Leave for Michaelmas and Lent terms 2024/25.

Research

  • Human evolutionary genetics
  • Social behaviour and genetic diversity
  • Non-human genetics and the microbiome
  • Hunter-gatherer genetic variation

 

Ongoing and past research projects:

  • 2021-2026: MOBILE: Movement networks and genetic evolution among tropical hunter-gatherers of island Southeast Asia (PI, ERC Starting Grant)
  • 2019-2021: Pilot study of Cave Punan hunter-gatherers of Borneo (with Prof. Steve Lansing and Dr Pradiptajati Kusuma)
  • 2018-2020: Borneo Human Genome and Microbiome Diversity in Association with Health and Disease (with the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology)
  • 2018-2020: Archaic introgression and the evolution of modern humans (NTU Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship)
  • 2016-2019: The Indonesian Genome Diversity Project (with the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology)

 

Publication

Journal articles

2026

Wlasnowolski, M., Kozlov, N., Wojcik, M., Jacobs, GS. and Plewczynski, D., 2026. enhancer3D: 3D chromatin structures and enhancer-promoter distance profiles for archaic and modern human genomes Nucleic Acids Research, v. 54
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkaf1256

2025 (Accepted for publication)

Jacobs, G., Febinia, CA., Luqman, H. and Lewis, J., 2025 (Accepted for publication). From sporulation to village differentiation: the shaping of the social microbiome over rural-to-urban lifestyle transition in Indonesia Cell reports,

Wlasnowolski, M., Kozlov, N., Wojcik, M., Jacobs, G. and Plewczynski, D., 2025 (Accepted for publication). enhancer3D: 3D Chromatin Structures and Enhancer–Promoter Distance Profiles for Archaic and Modern Human Genomes Nucleic Acids Research (NAR),

2023 (Accepted for publication)

Kusuma, P., Cox, M., Barker, G., Sudoyo, H., Lansing, JS. and Jacobs, G., 2023 (Accepted for publication). Deep ancestry of Bornean hunter-gatherers supports long-term local ancestry dynamics Cell Reports,

2023

Lansing, JS., Kremer, JN., Suryawan, IBG., Sathiakumar, S., Jacobs, GS., Chung, NN. and Artha Wiguna, IWA., 2023. Adaptive irrigation management by Balinese farmers reduces greenhouse gas emissions and increases rice yields. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, v. 378
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0400

2022 (Accepted for publication)

Lansing, JS., Jacobs, GS., Downey, SS., Norquest, PK., Cox, MP., Kuhn, SL., Miller, JH., Malik, SG., Sudoyo, H. and Kusuma, P., 2022 (Accepted for publication). Deep ancestry of collapsing networks of nomadic hunter-gatherers in Borneo Evolutionary Human Sciences, v. 4
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1017/ehs.2022.3

2022

Natri, HM., Hudjashov, G., Jacobs, G., Kusuma, P., Saag, L., Darusallam, CC., Metspalu, M., Sudoyo, H., Cox, MP., Gallego Romero, I. and Banovich, NE., 2022. Genetic architecture of gene regulation in Indonesian populations identifies QTLs associated with global and local ancestries. Am J Hum Genet, v. 109
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.11.017

Vespasiani, DM., Jacobs, GS., Cook, LE., Brucato, N., Leavesley, M., Kinipi, C., Ricaut, F-X., Cox, MP. and Gallego Romero, I., 2022. Denisovan introgression has shaped the immune system of present-day Papuans. PLoS Genet, v. 18
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1010470

2021

Teixeira, JC., Jacobs, GS., Stringer, C., Tuke, J., Hudjashov, G., Purnomo, GA., Sudoyo, H., Cox, MP., Tobler, R., Turney, CSM., Cooper, A. and Helgen, KM., 2021. Widespread Denisovan ancestry in Island Southeast Asia but no evidence of substantial super-archaic hominin admixture. Nat Ecol Evol, v. 5
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-021-01408-0

Lansing, JS., Chung, NN., Chew, LY. and Jacobs, GS., 2021. Averting evolutionary suicide from the tragedy of the commons International Journal of the Commons, v. 15
Doi: http://doi.org/10.5334/IJC.1118

2020

Natri, HM., Bobowik, KS., Kusuma, P., Crenna Darusallam, C., Jacobs, GS., Hudjashov, G., Lansing, JS., Sudoyo, H., Banovich, NE., Cox, MP. and Gallego Romero, I., 2020. Genome-wide DNA methylation and gene expression patterns reflect genetic ancestry and environmental differences across the Indonesian archipelago. PLoS Genet, v. 16
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1008749

Rai, N., Verma, SK., Gaur, A., Iliescu, FM., Thakur, M., Golla, TR., Chandra, K., Prakash, S., Tabasum, W., Ara, S., Singh, L., Thangaraj, K. and Jacobs, GS., 2020. Ancient mtDNA from the extinct Indian cheetah supports unexpectedly deep divergence from African cheetahs. Sci Rep, v. 10
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60751-7

Riddell, J., Basu Mallick, C., Jacobs, GS., Schoenebeck, JJ. and Headon, DJ., 2020. Characterisation of a second gain of function EDAR variant, encoding EDAR380R, in East Asia. Eur J Hum Genet, v. 28
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41431-020-0660-6

2019

Jacobs, GS., Hudjashov, G., Saag, L., Kusuma, P., Darusallam, CC., Lawson, DJ., Mondal, M., Pagani, L., Ricaut, F-X., Stoneking, M., Metspalu, M., Sudoyo, H., Lansing, JS. and Cox, MP., 2019. Multiple Deeply Divergent Denisovan Ancestries in Papuans Cell, v. 177
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.02.035

Chung, NN., Jacobs, GS., Sudoyo, H., Malik, SG., Chew, LY., Lansing, JS. and Cox, MP., 2019. Sex-linked genetic diversity originates from persistent sociocultural processes at microgeographic scales. R Soc Open Sci, v. 6
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.190733

2018

Iliescu, FM., Chaplin, G., Rai, N., Jacobs, GS., Basu Mallick, C., Mishra, A., Thangaraj, K. and Jablonski, NG., 2018. The influences of genes, the environment, and social factors on the evolution of skin color diversity in India. Am J Hum Biol, v. 30
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.23170

2017

Lansing, JS., Abundo, C., Jacobs, GS., Guillot, EG., Thurner, S., Downey, SS., Chew, LY., Bhattacharya, T., Chung, NN., Sudoyo, H. and Cox, MP., 2017. Kinship structures create persistent channels for language transmission. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, v. 114
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1706416114

Eichstaedt, CA., Pagani, L., Antao, T., Inchley, CE., Cardona, A., Mörseburg, A., Clemente, FJ., Sluckin, TJ., Metspalu, E., Mitt, M., Mägi, R., Hudjashov, G., Metspalu, M., Mormina, M., Jacobs, GS. and Kivisild, T., 2017. Evidence of Early-Stage Selection on EPAS1 and GPR126 Genes in Andean High Altitude Populations. Sci Rep, v. 7
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-13382-4

2016

Pagani, L., Lawson, DJ., Jagoda, E., Mörseburg, A., Eriksson, A., Mitt, M., Clemente, F., Hudjashov, G., DeGiorgio, M., Saag, L., Wall, JD., Cardona, A., Mägi, R., Wilson Sayres, MA., Kaewert, S., Inchley, C., Scheib, CL., Järve, M., Karmin, M., Jacobs, GS., Antao, T., Iliescu, FM., Kushniarevich, A., Ayub, Q., Tyler-Smith, C., Xue, Y., Yunusbayev, B., Tambets, K., Mallick, CB., Saag, L., Pocheshkhova, E., Andriadze, G., Muller, C., Westaway, MC., Lambert, DM., Zoraqi, G., Turdikulova, S., Dalimova, D., Sabitov, Z., Sultana, GNN., Lachance, J., Tishkoff, S., Momynaliev, K., Isakova, J., Damba, LD., Gubina, M., Nymadawa, P., Evseeva, I., Atramentova, L., Utevska, O., Ricaut, F-X., Brucato, N., Sudoyo, H., Letellier, T., Cox, MP., Barashkov, NA., Skaro, V., Mulahasanovic, L., Primorac, D., Sahakyan, H., Mormina, M., Eichstaedt, CA., Lichman, DV., Abdullah, S., Chaubey, G., Wee, JTS., Mihailov, E., Karunas, A., Litvinov, S., Khusainova, R., Ekomasova, N., Akhmetova, V., Khidiyatova, I., Marjanović, D., Yepiskoposyan, L., Behar, DM., Balanovska, E., Metspalu, A., Derenko, M., Malyarchuk, B., Voevoda, M., Fedorova, SA., Osipova, LP., Lahr, MM., Gerbault, P., Leavesley, M., Migliano, AB., Petraglia, M., Balanovsky, O., Khusnutdinova, EK., Metspalu, E., Thomas, MG., Manica, A., Nielsen, R., Villems, R., Willerslev, E., Kivisild, T. and Metspalu, M., 2016. Genomic analyses inform on migration events during the peopling of Eurasia. Nature, v. 538
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1038/nature19792

Inchley, CE., Larbey, CDA., Shwan, NAA., Pagani, L., Saag, L., Antão, T., Jacobs, G., Hudjashov, G., Metspalu, E., Mitt, M., Eichstaedt, CA., Malyarchuk, B., Derenko, M., Wee, J., Abdullah, S., Ricaut, F-X., Mormina, M., Mägi, R., Villems, R., Metspalu, M., Jones, MK., Armour, JAL. and Kivisild, T., 2016. Selective sweep on human amylase genes postdates the split with Neanderthals Scientific Reports, v. 6
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1038/srep37198

2015

2014

Kaiping, GA., Jacobs, GS., Cox, SJ. and Sluckin, TJ., 2014. Nonequivalence of updating rules in evolutionary games under high mutation rates. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys, v. 90
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.90.042726

Clemente, FJ., Cardona, A., Inchley, CE., Peter, BM., Jacobs, G., Pagani, L., Lawson, DJ., Antão, T., Vicente, M., Mitt, M., DeGiorgio, M., Faltyskova, Z., Xue, Y., Ayub, Q., Szpak, M., Mägi, R., Eriksson, A., Manica, A., Raghavan, M., Rasmussen, M., Rasmussen, S., Willerslev, E., Vidal-Puig, A., Tyler-Smith, C., Villems, R., Nielsen, R., Metspalu, M., Malyarchuk, B., Derenko, M. and Kivisild, T., 2014. A Selective Sweep on a Deleterious Mutation in CPT1A in Arctic Populations. Am J Hum Genet, v. 95
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.09.016

Book chapters

2025 (No publication date)

Jacobs, G., Attenborough, R. and Kusuma, P., 2025 (No publication date). Deep histories in New Guinea: Insights from human genetics on local demography and social processes

2025

Jacobs, G., Attenborough, R. and Kusuma, P., 2025. Deep histories in New Guinea: Insights from human genetics on regional demography and archaic introgression

Jacobs, G., Attenborough, R. and Kusuma, P., 2025. Deep histories in New Guinea: Insights from genetics on human adaptation to malaria and diverse environments

Conference proceedings

2018

Eichstaedt, C., Pagani, L., Antao, T., Inchley, C., Cardona, A., Mörseburg, A., Clemente, F., Sluckin, T., Metspalu, E., Mitt, M., Mägi, R., Hudjashov, G., Metspalu, M., Mormina, M., Jacobs, G. and Kivisild, T., 2018. New evidence of genetic adaptation to high altitude in Andean populations
Doi: http://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.congress-2018.pa1274

2017

Iliescu, FM., Chaplin, G., Rai, N., Jacobs, G., Mallick, CB., Mishra, A., Goto, R., Tamang, R., Chaubey, G., Romero, IG., Crivellaro, F., Pitchappan, R., Singh, L., Mirazon-Lahr, M., Metspalu, M., Thangaraj, K., Kivisild, T. and Jablonski, NG., 2017. The complicated genetic landscape of skin color in India AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, v. 162

Teaching and Supervisions

Teaching

I am involved in the teaching of the following courses:

Paper B1: Humans in Biological Perspective
Paper B4: Comparative Human Biology
Paper B16 – Genomes: Ancient, Modern and Mixed

 

Research supervision

I am interested in supervising students who wish to study for an MPhil or a PhD in the following topics:

  • Genetics of archaic introgression
  • Human microbiome diversity and evolution
  • Genetic adaptation and signals of selection
  • Modelling the genetics of social behaviour
  • Human-domesticate coevolution
  • Genetics of South Asian cattle

Job Titles

Assistant Professor in Human Evolutionary Genetics and Bioinformatics
Image of Dr Guy Jacobs

General Info

Available for consultancy
Research Expertise / Fields of study
Human Population Genetics
Human Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology

Contact Details

gsj22 [at] cam.ac.uk

Affiliations

Subjects
Biological Anthropology
Geographical areas
South Asia
Southeast Asia