Genetics | Human Nature Lab | Human Nature Lab at Yale

Characterization of gut microbiomes in rural Honduras reveals uncharacterized species and associations with human genetic variation

6 | Biomarker , Evolutionary Biology , Genetics , Honduras , LMIC , Microbiome

Citation:

Beghini F, Brito IL, Gerstein M, Christakis NA. Characterization of gut microbiomes in rural Honduras reveals uncharacterized species and associations with human genetic variation. Cell Rep. 2026 Jan 27;45(1):116724. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116724. Epub 2025 Dec 18. PMID: 41420859.

Cognitive representations of social networks in isolated villages

11 | Friendship , Honduras , Indigenous Social Network , Genetics , LMIC , Methodology , Multiplex Network , NAC Favorite , Social Network , Sociocentric Network , Trellis Software

Citation:

Feltham, E., Forastiere, L. & Christakis, N.A. Cognitive representations of social networks in isolated villages. Nat Hum Behav (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02221-6

Gut Microbiome Strain-sharing within Isolated Village Social Networks (Nature, 2024)

14 | Friendship , Genetics , Global Health , Homophily , Honduras , Indigenous Social Network , Infectious Disease , LMIC , Microbiome , NAC Favorite , Nature , Social Network , Sociocentric Network , Trellis Software

Citation:

Beghini F, Pullman J, Alexander M, Shridhar SV, Prinster D, Singh A, Matute Juárez R, Airoldi EM, Brito IL, Christakis NA. Gut microbiome strain-sharing within isolated village social networks. Nature. 2025 Jan;637(8044):167-175. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08222-1. Epub 2024 Nov 20. PMID: 39567691; PMCID: PMC11666459.

Assortative mating at loci under recent natural selection in humans

7 | Methodology , Behavior Genetics , Evolutionary Biology , Genetics , NAC Favorite , Homophily , Marriage

Citation:

A. Nishi, M. Alexander, J.H. Fowler, and N. A. Christakis, “Assortative mating at loci under recent natural selection in humans,” BioSystems, Volume 187, January 2020, 104040 (Oct 2019) DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2019.104040

Cohort of birth modifies the association between FTO genotype and BMI

6 | Methodology , NAC Favorite , PNAS , Genetics , Behavior Genetics , Health Services Research

Citation:

J.N. Rosenquist, S.F. Lehrer, A.J. O’Malley, A.M. Zaslavsky, J.W. Smoller, and N.A. Christakis, "Cohort of birth modifies the association between FTO genotype and BMI" PNAS: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(2): 354–359 (January 2015) doi: 10.1073/pnas.1411893111

Estimating Peer Effects in Longitudinal Dyadic Data Using Instrumental Variables

3 | Genetics , Methodology , Social Contagion

Citation:

A.J. O’Malley, F. Elwert, J.N. Rosenquist, A.M. Zaslavsky, and N.A. Christakis, "Estimating Peer Effects in Longitudinal Dyadic Data Using Instrumental Variables" Biometrics, 70: 506-515 (April, 2014) doi: 10.1111/biom.12172

Friendship and Natural Selection (PNAS, 2014)

6 | Evolutionary Biology , Friendship , Genetics , NAC Favorite , PNAS , Social Network

Citation:

N.A. Christakis and J.H. Fowler, "Friendship and Natural Selection" PNAS: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111 (Supplement 3): 10796-10801 (July, 2014) doi: 10.1073/pnas.1400825111

Genes, Economics, and Happiness

4 | Behavior Genetics , Genetics , Economics , Happiness

Citation:

J.E. DeNeve, N.A. Christakis, J.H. Fowler, and B.S. Frey, "Genes, Economics, and Happiness" Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics, 5(4): 193-211 (November 2012)

Correlated Genotypes in Friendship Networks

7 | Behavior Genetics , Evolutionary Biology , Friendship , Social Network , Genetics , NAC Favorite , PNAS

Citation:

J.H. Fowler, J.E. Settle, and N.A. Christakis, "Correlated Genotypes in Friendship Networks" PNAS: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(5): 1993-1997 (February 2011); http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1011687108

Model of Genetic Variation in Human Social Networks

10 | NAC Favorite , Genetics , Twin Study , Social Network , Behavior Genetics , Egocentric Network , Evolutionary Biology , Friendship , Methodology , PNAS

Citation:

J.H. Fowler, C.T. Dawes, and N.A. Christakis, "Model of Genetic Variation in Human Social Networks" PNAS: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(6): 1720-1724 (February 2009)

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