Research in the KU Anthropological Genetics Research Facility focuses on the analysis of genomes from contemporary peoples in order to address many different questions of population history, including population origins, and how evolutionary forces, such as gene flow, selection, and drift, have shaped contemporary patterns of human genetic variation. Researchers in this laboratory study genomes from populations all over the world, many collected by Dr. Michael Crawford over his 40-year career as a pioneering anthropological geneticist. This facility is additionally used for processing ancient DNA samples following amplification or library generation in the Ancient DNA Research Facility.

There are two laboratory spaces: A molecular biology laboratory dedicated to contemporary DNA sample storage, extraction and pre-PCR/library prep work with a laminar flow hood (ISO class 5/Fed class 100).

And a separate PCR/post-PCR laboratory containing thermocyclers, incubators, DNA concentrator, a real-time qPCR system, a nanodrop and qubit fluorometer, and various accessory equipment. The post-PCR laboratory contains all the necessary reagents and equipment for PCR and NGS library purification, sequencing setup, cloning, electrophoresis, hybridization capture, and data analysis.