Dr. Joe Lachance

Associate Professor

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Biography

Joe Lachance is an Associate Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Institute of Technology. He specializes in human genomics, population genetics, evolutionary medicine, and prostate cancer research. Dr. Lachance employs computational methods to understand how evolutionary history influences genetic variation and disease risk in human populations. His work bridges evolutionary genomics and genetic epidemiology, with notable contributions including research on archaic introgression in African genomes and the development of novel genotyping arrays to address SNP ascertainment bias in sub-Saharan populations. Lachance's laboratory focuses on generating polygenetic risk scores applicable to diverse populations and analyzing ancient and modern genomes to unravel the evolutionary history of disease-associated loci. His teaching interests encompass population genetics, Evolutionary Biology, and Human Evolutionary Genomics, fostering a collaborative and curious learning environment. He has mentored numerous students and received various awards, including the CTL/BP Junior Faculty Teaching Award and the Cherry Emerson Research Award.

Research Interests

Requirements for Georgia Institute of Technology

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:19
Reading
Required:19
Writing
Required:19
Speaking
Required:19
Total
Required:100
IELTS
Listening
Required:6.5
Reading
Required:6.5
Writing
Required:5.5
Speaking
Required:6.5
Overall
Required:7.5
Prerequisites
Undergraduate degree in computer science or related field
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Statement of Purpose
Specialization Notes

Department of Computer Science: GRE scores are optional for Fall 2026.