Dr. David Gokhman investigates the genetic changes that made us human. His research centers on gene regulatory differences that set us apart from our closest extinct and extant relatives—Neanderthals, Denisovans, and great apes. His work provided the first DNA methylation maps of extinct species, offering rare insights into the morphology of the elusive Denisovan. These discoveries were recognized as Science Magazine’s “Breakthrough of the Year”. Dr. Gokhman’s lab combines computational and experimental tools to explore how changes in gene expression have shaped human anatomy, physiology, and health. Pushing the boundaries of comparative evolution, his team has developed human–chimpanzee hybrid cells, an innovative system for studying gene regulation across species. The lab is also developing methods to map the biological effects of every genetic difference that distinguishes modern humans from archaic humans and great apes. Dr. Gokhman earned his degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and completed his postdoctoral research at Stanford University in the labs of Prof. Hunter Fraser and Prof. Dmitri Petrov. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.
