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Tom van der Valk, PhD
Research group lead at the Centre for Palaeogenetics
Tom van der Valk, PhD, is a prominent researcher and the Research Group Lead at the Centre for Palaeogenetics, which is part of the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm. His research primarily focuses on the genomic study of endangered and extinct animal populations, utilizing both ancient and modern DNA samples to analyze biodiversity and species presence over time.
Research Interests and Contributions
Van der Valk's work involves developing computational methods to analyze complex biological samples, particularly aiming to identify species from minute amounts of DNA extracted from various environmental sources, such as lake water, soil, and ancient sediments. His research aims to enhance the accuracy and sensitivity of genetic analyses, moving beyond traditional metabarcoding methods to leverage the full potential of DNA sequencing technologies and databases.12
Academic Background
He completed his doctoral studies in animal ecology at Uppsala University, where he also worked as a postdoctoral researcher before joining the Centre for Palaeogenetics. His career trajectory includes positions such as a bioinformatician at the National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden.2
Contact Information
For further inquiries, he can be reached at his professional email: Tom.vandervalk@nrm.se.2
