Dr. Sreetharan Kanthaswamy is a Research Geneticist at the National Biomedical Research Institute (NBRI) at the University of California, Davis, and is a professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Forensics at Arizona State University. His interdisciplinary research integrates forensic genetics, population genomics, and conservation genetics to advance understanding of genetic variation, population structure, and the forces that shape genetic diversity in natural and captive primate populations.
At NBRI, his work leverages the genetic diversity and unique resources of nonhuman primate populations to advance genomic research with applications spanning biomedical science, forensic investigation, and wildlife conservation. His laboratory develops species-specific STR, SNP, and mitochondrial DNA markers and applies advanced genetic approaches to biological evidence, population studies, and genetic identification in both human and nonhuman species. His forensic expertise includes analysis of biological evidence such as blood, saliva, hair, and other biological traces, as well as expert-witness testimony and casework review in human and veterinary forensic DNA investigations. His work bridges human and wildlife forensics, advancing both scientific discovery and applied justice.
Dr. Kanthaswamy earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in genetics from the University of Malaya and his Ph.D. in genetics from the University of California, Davis, followed by NIH-supported postdoctoral training in immunogenetics at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.