Roshni A. Patel
As of fall 2025, I am an assistant professor at the University of Oregon in the Department of Data Science and a member of the Institute for Ecology and Evolution.
Our work bridges statistical genetics and population genetics to study the genetic architecture and evolutionary history of human complex traits. We are first and foremost motivated by understanding biology, but we also seek out opportunities to develop bespoke statistical or computational solutions to the problems we work on; our work generally combines theory, methods development, and data analysis.
Given the ethical considerations that arise when working with human genetic data — and especially data from groups that have been historically excluded from or exploited in biomedical research — we are committed to conducting our research in a manner that is explicit about equity. This includes both engaging with the history of our field and critically evaluating our own work in order to anticipate potential harms.
We also work on questions that fall under the scope of science and society, metascience, and ELSI (ethical, legal, and social implications). We are particularly interested in interrogating the use of race, ancestry, and other population descriptors in human genetics. Our ultimate goal is to develop resources and strategies for enabling more socially responsible science.
Join us: If you are interested in joining us, please reach out to me at roshnip@uoregon.edu. I am always happy to hear from interested undergraduate and graduate students, as well as prospective postbac or postdoc researchers.