Agnar Helgason

Born: Reykjavík, Iceland, July 31^st 1968

Marital status: Married, 2 children

Work address: deCODE Genetics, Sturlugata 8, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland.

Current Position: Senior Research Scientist in Biological Anthropology at deCODE Genetics

(also Professor at the Department of Anthropology, University of Iceland)

Work phone: +354-5701856

Work fax: +354-5701903

 

EDUCATION

B.A. in Anthropology. University of Iceland. 1989 –1992.

M.A. in Social Anthropology. University of Iceland. 1993 –1995.

M.Phil. in Biological Anthropology. University of Cambridge. 1995 – 1996.

D.Phil. (PhD) in Biological Anthropology. University of Oxford. 1997 – 2001.

 

ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC RESPONSIBILITES

• Reviewer of manuscripts for scientific journals: Am J Hum Genet (2001-2003, 2006, 2008-2010), Am J Phys Anthr (2003, 2006, 2011), Ann Hum Genet (2005, 2007-2008, 2010), BMC Genet (2007, 2009, 2011), Curr Biol (2008-2010, 2012), Eur J  Hum Genet (2005-2006, 2011-2012, 2014),  Evol Hum Behav (2009), Genetics (2007), Heredity (2006), Hum Biol (2005-2006), Hum Genet (2004-2005, 2009-2010), Hum Hered (2006), Investigative Genet (2011), J Arch Sci (2011), Mol Psych (2005), Mol Biol Evol (2007, 2011), Mol Ecol (2012), Mol Genet Metabol (2012), Nat Genet (2004-2008, 2011-2012, 2014), PLoS Genet (2007-2008, 2011), PLoS One (2011-2012), Pop Studies (2009), Science (2014).


• Deputy member of the Icelandic Science and Technology Council and of both the Science Committee and the Technology Committee (2012-present)


• Editorial board of scientific journals: Investigative Genetics (2010-present), Journal of the North Atlantic (2010-present)


• Reviewer of funding applications for scientific projects: Icelandic Research Fund (2007, 2008, 2011), University of Iceland Research Fund (2011-2012), Wellcome Trust (2008, 2013), European Science Foundation (2006, 2008, 2010), The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) (2013)


• Selection committee member for the University of Iceland grant scheme: Special support for strong research teams (2008)


• Various teaching and supervision responsibilities at the Univ. of Iceland at the undergraduate and postgraduate level (2000-present)


• PhD examiner for Pompei Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain; University of Copenhagen, Denmark; University of Adelaide, Australia, University of Oxford, UK.

 

GRANTS, AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

• Students’ Creative Research Fund, Icelandic Ministry of Education, 1992


• Postgraduate Research Fund, Icelandic Ministry of Education, 1994–1995     


• Erasmus Student Mobility Scheme, European Union, 1994–1995


• Overseas Research Scheme (ORS) Award, Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of Universities and Colleges in the United Kingdom, 1997–1999


• Cambridge Overseas Trust, bursary award, 1997


• Nordic Environmental Research Progrmme (NERP), research grant, 1996-1997


• Award of Young Researcher’s Prize for best lecture, at the Third Biennial Euroconference of the European Human Genome Diversity Project, “Human Diversity in Europe and Beyond: Retrospect and Prospect”, Cambridge, 9-13^th September 1999.


• Icelandic Council for Science and Technology Motivation Award 2006


• Icelandic Research Fund for Graduate Students – Salary (1 year) for Masters student 2007, 2011, 2012


• Icelandic Research Fund – Salary (2 years) for Post-doc 2011


• European Union Marie Curie Initial Training Network PhD position (ESR) in EUROTAST project starting May 2012 (Salary and expenses 3 years)
  
  
  
  • University of Iceland Research Fund 2002-2004, salary for PhD student 2014-2017, 2015-2018
  
  
  
  

 

PUBLICATIONS

64 articles in refereed scientific journals

Power, R.A., Steinberg, S., Bjornsdottir, G., Rietveld, C.A., Abdellaoui, A., Nivard, M.M., Johannesson, M., Galesloot, T.E., Hottenga, J.J., … Helgason, A., Kong, A., Kiemeney, L. A., Koellinger, P., Boomsma, D. I., Gudbjartsson, D., Stefansson, H., Stefansson, K.  (2015). Polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder predict creativity. Nature Neuroscience 18, 953-+.

Helgason, A., Einarsson, A.W., Gudmundsdottir, V.B., Sigurdsson, A., Gunnarsdottir, E.D., Jagadeesan, A., Ebenesersdottir, S.S., Kong, A., and Stefansson, K. (2015). The Y-chromosome point mutation rate in humans. Nature Genetics 47, 453-U438.

Sulem, P., Helgason, H., Oddson, A., Stefansson, H., Gudjonsson, S.A., Zink, F., Hjartarson, E., Sigurdsson, G.T., Jonasdottir, A., Sigurdsson, A., Magnusson, O. T., Kong, A., Helgason, A. et al. (2015). Identification of a large set of rare complete human knockouts. Nature Genetics 47, 448-U430.

Gudbjartsson, D.F., Helgason, H., Gudjonsson, S.A., Zink, F., Oddson, A., Gylfason, A., Besenbacher, S., Magnusson, G., Halldorsson, B.V., Hjartarson, E., … Helgason, A., Sulem, P., and Stefansson, K. (2015). Large-scale whole-genome sequencing of the Icelandic population. Nature Genetics 47, 435-U420.

Sveinbjornsson, G., Mikaelsdottir, E., Palsson, R., Indridason, O.S., Holm, H., Jonasdottir, A., Helgason, A., Sigurdsson, S., Sigurdsson, A., Eyjolfsson, G.I., et al. (2014). Rare mutations associating with serum creatinine and chronic kidney disease. Human Molecular Genetics 23, 6935-6943.

Steinthorsdottir, V., Thorleifsson, G., Sulem, P., Helgason, H., Grarup, N., Sigurdsson, A., Helgadottir, H.T., Johannsdottir, H., Magnusson, O.T., Gudjonsson, S.A., Justesen, J.M., Harder, M.N., Jørgensen, M.E., Christensen, C., Brandslund, I., Sandbæk, A., Lauritzen, T., Vestergaard, H., Linneberg, A., Jørgensen, T., Hansen, T., Daneshpour, M.S., Fallah, M. S., Hreidarsson, A.B., Sigurdsson, G., Azizi, F., Benediktsson, R., Masson, G., Helgason, A.,… Stefansson, K. (2014). Identification of low-frequency and rare sequence variants associated with elevated or reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Nature Genetics, 46, 294-8.

Praetorius, C., Grill, C., Stacey, S. N., Metcalf, A. M., Gorkin, D. U., Robinson, K. C., van Otterloo, E., Kim, R. S. Q., Bergsteinsdottir, K., Ogmundsdottir, M. H., Magnusdottir, E., Mishra, P. J., Davis, S. R., Guo, T., Zaidi, M. R., Helgason, A. S., … Steingrimsson, E. (2013). A polymorphism in IRF4 affects human pigmentation through a tyrosinase dependent MITF/TFAP2A pathway. Cell, 155, 1022-1033.

Styrkarsdottir, U., Thorleifsson, G., Sulem, P., Gudbjartsson, D. F., Sigurdsson, A., Jonasdottir, A., Jonasdottir, A., Oddsson, A., Helgason, A., … Stefansson, K. (2013). Nonsense mutation in the LGR4 gene is associated with several human diseases and other traits. Nature, 497, 517-520.

Sun, J.X., Helgason, A., Masson, G., Ebenesersdottir, S.S., Li, H., Mallick, S., Gnerre, S., Patterson, N., Kong, A., Reich, D., Stefansson, K. (2012). A direct characterization of human mutation based on microsatellites. Nature Genetics 44, 1161-1165.

Kong, A., Frigge, M. L., Masson, G., Besenbacher, S., Sulem, P., Magnusson, G., Gudjonsson, S. A., Sigurdsson, A., Jonasdottir, A., Wong, W. S., Sigurdsson, G., Walters, G. B., Steinberg, S., Helgason, H., Thorleifsson, G., Gudbjartsson, D. F., Helgason, A., Magnusson, O. T., Thorsteinsdottir, U., Stefansson, K. (2012). Rate of de novo mutations and the importance of father's age to disease risk. Nature 488, 471-475.

Sulem P, Gudbjartsson DF, Walters GB, Helgadottir HT, Helgason A, Gudjonsson SA, Zanon C, et al. (2011) Identification of low-frequency variants associated with gout and serum uric acid levels. Nature Genetics 43:1127-1130

Holm H, Gudbjartsson DF, Sulem P, Masson G, Helgadottir HT, Zanon C, Magnusson OT, Helgason A, et al. (2011) A rare variant in MYH6 is associated with high risk of sick sinus syndrome. Nature Genetics 43:316-320

Price AL, Helgason A, Thorleifsson G, McCarroll SA, Kong A, Stefansson K (2011) Single-tissue and cross-tissue heritability of gene expression via identity-by-descent in related or unrelated individuals. PLoS Genetics 7:e1001317

Ebenesersdottir SS, Sigurdsson A, Sanchez-Quinto F, Lalueza-Fox C, Stefansson K, Helgason A (2011) A new subclade of mtDNA haplogroup C1 found in Icelanders: evidence of pre-Columbian contact? American Journal of Physical Anthropology 144:92-99

Hrafnkelsson B, Helgason A, Jonsson GF, Gudbjartsson DF, Jonsson T, Thorvaldsson S, Stefansson H, Steinthorsdottir V, Vidarsdottir N, Middleton D, Petersen HS, Martinez C, Snaedal J, Jonsson PV, Bjornsson S, Gulcher JR, Stefansson K (2010) Evaluating differences in linkage disequilibrium between populations. Annals of Human Genetics 74:233-247

Kong A, Thorleifsson G, Gudbjartsson DF, Masson G, Sigurdsson A, Jonasdottir A, Walters GB, Jonasdottir A, Gylfason A, Kristinsson KT, Gudjonsson SA, Frigge ML, Helgason A, Thorsteinsdottir U, Stefansson K (2010) Fine-scale recombination rate differences between sexes, populations and individuals. Nature 467:1099-1103

Stacey SN, Sulem P, Zanon C, Gudjonsson SA, Thorleifsson G, Helgason A, Jonasdottir A, et al. (2010) Ancestry-shift refinement mapping of the C6orf97-ESR1 breast cancer susceptibility locus. PLoS Genetics 6:e1001029

Thorleifsson G, Walters GB, Hewitt AW, Masson G, Helgason A, DeWan A, Sigurdsson A, et al. (2010) Common variants near CAV1 and CAV2 are associated with primary open-angle glaucoma. Nature Genetics 42:906-909

Helgason A, Stefansson K (2010) The past, present, and future of direct-to-consumer genetic tests. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience 12:61-68

Price AL, Helgason A, Palsson S, Stefansson H, St Clair D, Andreassen OA, Reich D, Kong A, Stefansson K (2009) The impact of divergence time on the nature of population structure: an example from Iceland. PLoS Genetics 5:e1000505

Helgason, A., C. Lalueza-Fox, S. Ghosh, S. Sigurethardottir, M. L. Sampietro, E. Gigli, A. Baker, J. Bertranpetit, L. Arnadottir, U. Thorsteinsdottir, and K. Stefansson (2009) Sequences from first settlers reveal rapid evolution in Icelandic mtDNA pool. PLoS Genetics 5:e1000343.

Helgason, A., S. Palsson, D. F. Guðbjartsson, P. Kristjansson, and K. Stefansson. (2008) Response to Comments on "An Association Between the Kinship and Fertility of Human Couples". Science 322:-.

Palsdottir A, Helgason A, Palsson S, Bjornsson HT, Bragason BT, Gretarsdottir S, Thorsteinsdottir U, Olafsson E, Stefansson K (2008) A drastic reduction in the life span of cystatin C L68Q carriers due to life-style changes during the last two centuries. PLoS Genet 4:e1000099

Gudbjartsson, D. F., P. Sulem, S. N. Stacey, A. M. Goldstein, T. Rafnar, B. Sigurgeirsson, K. R. Benediktsdottir, K. Thorisdottir, R. Ragnarsson, S. G. Sveinsdottir, V. Magnusson, A. Lindblom, K. Kostulas, R. Botella-Estrada, V. Soriano, P. Juberias, M. Grasa, B. Saez, R. Andres, D. Scherer, P. Rudnai, E. Gurzau, K. Koppova, L. A. Kiemeney, M. Jakobsdottir, S. Steinberg, A. Helgason, S. Gretarsdottir, M. A. Tucker, J. I. Mayordomo, E. Nagore, R. Kumar, J. Hansson, J. H. Olafsson, J. Gulcher, A. Kong, U. Thorsteinsdottir, and K. Stefansson. (2008) ASIP and TYR pigmentation variants associate with cutaneous melanoma and basal cell carcinoma. Nature Genetics 40:886-891.

 Stacey, S. N., D. F. Gudbjartsson, P. Sulem, J. T. Bergthorsson, R. Kumar, G. Thorleifsson, A. Sigurdsson, M. Jakobsdottir, B. Sigurgeirsson, K. R. Benediktsdottir, K. Thorisdottir, R. Ragnarsson, D. Scherer, P. Rudnai, E. Gurzau, K. Koppova, V. Hoiom, R. Botella-Estrada, V. Soriano, P. Juberias, M. Grasa, F. J. Carapeto, P. Tabuenca, Y. Gilaberte, J. Gudmundsson, S. Thorlacius, A. Helgason, T. Thorlacius, A. Jonasdottir, T. Blondal, S. A. Gudjonsson, G. F. Jonsson, J. Saemundsdottir, K. Kristjansson, G. Bjornsdottir, S. G. Sveinsdottir, M. Mouy, F. Geller, E. Nagore, J. I. Mayordomo, J. Hansson, T. Rafnar, A. Kong, J. H. Olafsson, U. Thorsteinsdottir, and K. Stefansson. (2008) Common variants on 1p36 and 1q42 are associated with cutaneous basal cell carcinoma but not with melanoma or pigmentation traits. Nature Genetics 40:1313-1318.

 Sulem P, Gudbjartsson DF, Stacey SN, Helgason A, Rafnar T, Jakobsdottir M, Steinberg S, et al. (2008) Two newly identified genetic determinants of pigmentation in Europeans. Nature Genetics 40:835-837

Helgason A, Palsson S, Gudbjartsson DF, Kristjansson T, Stefansson K (2008) An association between the kinship and fertility of human couples. Science 319:813-816

Emilsson V, Thorleifsson G, Zhang B, Leonardson AS, Zink F, Zhu J, Carlson S, ... Helgason, A et al. (2008) Genetics of gene expression and its effect on disease. Nature 452:423-428

Kong A, Thorleifsson G, Stefansson H, Masson G, Helgason A, Gudbjartsson DF, Jonsdottir GM, et al. (2008) Sequence Variants in the RNF212 Gene Associate with Genomewide Recombination Rate. Science 319:1398-1401

Goldstein AM, Stacey SN, Olafsson JH, Jonsson GF, Helgason A, Sulem P, et al. (2008) CDKN2A Mutations and Melanoma Risk in the Icelandic Population. Journal of Medical Genetics

Gottfredsson M, Halldorsson BV, Jonsson S, Kristjansson M, Kristjansson K, Kristinsson KG, Love A, Blondal T, Viboud C, Thorvaldsson S, Helgason A, et al. (2008) Lessons from the past: Familial aggregation analysis of fatal pandemic influenza (Spanish flu) in Iceland in 1918. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105:1303-1308

Sulem P, Gudbjartsson DF, Stacey SN, Helgason A, Rafnar T, Magnusson KP et al.  (2007) Genetic determinants of hair, eye and skin pigmentation in Europeans. Nature Genetics 39:1443-1452

Gudbjartsson, D. F., D. O. Arnar, A. Helgadottir, S. Gretarsdottir, H. Holm, A. Sigurdsson, A. Jonasdottir, A. Baker, G. Thorleifsson, K. Kristjansson, A. Palsson, T. Blondal, P. Sulem, V. M. Backman, G. A. Hardarson, E. Palsdottir, A. Helgason, et al. (2007). Variants conferring risk of atrial fibrillation on chromosome 4q25. Nature 448:353-357.

Helgason, A., S. Palsson, C. Lalueza-Fox, S. Ghosh, S. Sigurdardottir, A. Baker, B. Hrafnkelsson, L. Arnadottir, U. Thornorsteinsdottir, and K. Stefansson. 2007a. A Statistical Approach to Identify Ancient Template DNA. Journal of Molecular Evolution 65:92-102.

Gudmundsson, J., P. Sulem, A. Manolescu, L. T. Amundadottir, D. Gudbjartsson, A. Helgason, et al. (2007). Genome-wide association study identifies a second prostate cancer susceptibility variant at 8q24. Nature Genetics 39:631-637.

Gudmundsson, J., P. Sulem, V. Steinthorsdottir, J. T. Bergthorsson, G. Thorleifsson, A. Manolescu, T. Rafnar, D. Gudbjartsson, B. A. Agnarsson, A. Baker, A. Sigurdsson, K. R. Benediktsdottir, M. Jakobsdottir, T. Blondal, S. N. Stacey, A. Helgason, et al. (2007). Two variants on chromosome 17 confer prostate cancer risk, and the one in TCF2 protects against type 2 diabetes. Nature Genetics 39:977-983.

Helgason, A., S. Palsson, G. Thorleifsson, S. F. Grant, V. Emilsson, S. Gunnarsdottir, A. Adeyemo, et al. (2007). Refining the impact of TCF7L2 gene variants on type 2 diabetes and adaptive evolution. Nature Genetics 39:218-225.

Stacey, S. N., A. Manolescu, P. Sulem, T. Rafnar, J. Gudmundsson, S. A. Gudjonsson, G. Masson, M. Jakobsdottir, S. Thorlacius, A. Helgason, et al. (2007). Common variants on chromosomes 2q35 and 16q12 confer susceptibility to estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Nature Genetics 39:865-869.

Amundadottir LT, Sulem P, Gudmundsson J, Helgason A, Baker A, Agnarsson BA, Sigurdsson A, et al. (2006) A common variant associated with prostate cancer in European and African populations. Nature Genetics 38:652-658

Stacey SN, Sulem P, Johannsson OT, Helgason A, Gudmundsson J, et al. (2006) The BARD1 Cys557Ser Variant and Breast Cancer Risk in Iceland. PLoS Medicine 3:e217

Helgason A, Pálsson G, Sloth Petersen H, Angulalik E, Gunnarsdóttir ED, Yngvadóttir B, Stefánsson K (2006) mtDNA variation in Inuit populations of Greenland and Canada: Migration history and population structure. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 130: 123-34.

Grant SFA, Thorleifsson G, Reynisdottir I, Benediktsson R, Manolescu A, Sainz J, Helgason A, et al. (2006) Variant of transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene confers risk of type 2 diabetes. Nature Genetics 38: 320-23.

Helgadottir A, Manolescu A, Helgason A, Thorleifsson G, Thorsteinsdottir U, Gudbjartsson DF, Gretarsdottir S, et al. (2006) A variant of the gene encoding leukotriene A4 hydrolase confers ethnicity-specific risk of myocardial infarction. Nature Genetics 38:68-74

Goodacre S, Helgason A, Nicholson J, Southam L, Ferguson L, Hickey E, Vega E, Stefánsson K, Ward R, Sykes B (2005) Genetic evidence for a family-based Scandinavian settlement of Shetland and Orkney during the Viking periods. Heredity 95: 129-35

Stefansson H, Helgason A, Thorleifsson G, Steinthorsdottir V, Masson G, Barnard J, Baker A, et al. (2005) A common inversion under selection in Europeans. Nature Genetics 37: 129-137

Helgason A, Yngvadottir B, Hrafnkelsson B, Gulcher J, Stefansson K (2005) An Icelandic example of the impact of population structure on association studies. Nature Genetics 37: 90-95

Soldevila M, Calafell F, Helgason A, Stefansson K, Bertranpetit J (2005) Assessing the signatures of selection in PRNP from polymorphism data: results support Kreitman and Di Rienzo's opinion. Trends in Genetics 21:389-391

Helgason A and Stefansson K (2003) Erroneous claims about the impact of mtDNA sequence database errors. American Journal of Human Genetics 73: 974-975.

Helgason A, Nicholson G, Stefansson K, Donnelly P (2003). A reassessment of genetic diversity in Icelanders: Strong evidence from multiple loci for relative homogeneity caused by genetic drift. Annals of Human Genetics 67: 281-97.

Helgason A, Hrafnkelsson B, Gulcher JR, Ward R, Stefansson K (2003). A population-wide coalescent analysis of Icelandic matrilineal and patrilineal genealogies: Evidence for a faster evolutionary rate of mtDNA lineages than Y-chromosomes. American Journal of Human Genetics 72: 1370-88.

Pálsson G and Helgason A (2003) Blonds, Lost and Found: Representations of Genes, Identity, and History. Developing World Bioethics 3: 159-169

Soldevila M, Calafell F, Andres A, Yagüe J, Helgason A, Stefánsson K, Bertranpetit J (2003) Prion susceptibility and protective alleles exhibit marked geographic differences. Human Mutation 22: 104-5.

Qamar R, Ayub Q, Mohyuddin A, Helgason A, Mazhar K, Mansoor A, Zerjal T, Tyler-Smith C, Mehdi SQ (2002). Y-chromosomal DNA variation in Pakistan. American Journal of Human Genetics 70: 1107-1124

Mohyuddin A, Ayub Q, Qamar R, Zerjal T, Helgason A, Mehdi SQ, Tyler-Smith C (2001) Y-chromosomal STR haplotypes in Pakistani populations. Forensic Science International 118:141-6.

Helgason, A., Hickey, E., Goodacre, S., Vega, E., Bosnes, V., Stefánsson, K., Ward, R., Sykes, B. 2001. mtDNA and the islands of the North Atlantic: Estimating the proportions of Norse and Gaelic ancestry. American Journal of Human Genetics 68: 723-737

Gulcher, J., Helgason, A., Stefánsson, K. 2000. Genetic homogeneity of Icelanders (Correspondence). Nature Genetics 26: 395

Helgason, A., Sigurðardóttir, S., Nicholson, J., Sykes, B., Hill, E., Bradley, D.G., Bosnes, V., Gulcher, J.R., Ward, R., Stefánsson, K. 2000. Estimating Scandinavian and Gaelic ancestry in the male settlers of Iceland. American Journal of Human Genetics 67: 697-717

Sigurðardóttir, S., A. Helgason, J. Gulcher, K. Stefánsson and P. Donnelly 2000. The mutation rate in the human mitochondrial DNA control region. American Journal of Human Genetics 66: 1599-1609

Helgason, A, S. Sigurðardóttir, J. Gulcher, R. Ward and K. Stefánsson 2000. mtDNA and the origin of the Icelanders: Deciphering signals of recent population history. American Journal of Human Genetics 66: 999-1016

Monsalve, M.V., A. Helgason, and D.V. Devine 1999. Languages, geography and HLA haplotypes in Native American and Asian populations. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London – Series B 266: 1-8.

Pálsson, G. and A. Helgason 1999. Kvótakerfið: kenning og veruleiki. Skírnir 173: 8-12.

Pálsson, G. and A. Helgason 1998. Schooling and Skipperhood: The Development of Dexterity. American Anthropologist 100(4): 908-923.

Helgason, A. and G. Pálsson 1997. Contested commodities: The moral landscape of modernist regimes. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, incorporating Man (NS) 3(3): 451-471.

Pálsson, G. and A. Helgason 1995. Figuring fish and measuring men: The ITQ system in the Icelandic Cod Fishery, Ocean and Coastal Management 28 (1-3): 117-146.

 

 

6 chapters in edited books

Helgason A (2004) Uppruni Íslendinga (The origin of the Icelanders), in Hlutavelta tímans: Menningararfur á Þjóðminjasafni, eds Árni Björnsson and Hrefna Róbertsdóttir, Reykjavík: Þjóðminjasafn Íslands

Helgason, A, S. Sigurðardóttir, J. Gulcher, K. Stefánsson and R. Ward (2000). Sampling saturation and the European mtDNA pool: Implications for detecting genetic relationships among populations, in Molecular genetics and early Europe: Working papers in population prehistory, eds Colin Renfrew and Katie Boyle. Cambridge: The McDonald Institute.

Helgason, A. and G. Pálsson 1998. Cash for quotas: Disputes over the legitimacy of an economic model of fishing in Iceland, in Economic abstraction: Virtualism and its discontents, eds James Carrier and Daniel Miller. Oxford: Berg Publishers.

Helgason, A. 1997. Uppruni Íslendinga: Vitnisburður prótínafbrigða, hvatbera DNA og sögulegrar lýðfræði (The origin of the Icelanders: Evidence from serology, mtDNA and historical demography), in Við og hinir: Rannsóknir í mannfræði, eds Gísli Pálsson, Haraldur Ólafsson og Sigríður Dúna Kristmundsdóttir. Reykjavík: Mannfræðistofnun Háskóla Íslands.

Pálsson, G. and A. Helgason 1996. The politics of production: Equity, efficiency and enclosure, in Images of contemporary Iceland: Everyday lives and global contexts, eds Gísli Pálsson and E. Paul Durrenberger. Iowa: University of Iowa Press.

Pálsson, G. and A. Helgason 1996. Property rights and practical knowledge: The Icelandic quota system, in Fisheries management in crisis: A social science perspective, eds D. Symes and K. Crean. Oxford: Blackwell Science.

 

PRESENTATIONS AT SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS

Ancient DNA and the settlement of Iceland: Assessing authenticity and continuity (Invited Speaker). Integrating Genomics and Human History: Challenges and Opportunities. Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. March 19^th -20^th 2015.

 

The Y chromosome point mutation rate in humans (Invited Speaker). The Human Mutation Rate Meeting. Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 

February 25-27^th 2015.

 

Assessing the authenticity of clonal sequence reads from ancient samples: A case study from Iceland (Invited Speaker). Ancient DNA applications in human evolutionary history, The Royal Society, Chicheley Hall, 20^th-21^st November 2013.

 

Dissecting the genetic history of a human population: A decade of research about Icelanders (Invited speaker). Genetic diversity and origins of Europeans. Closing conference of COST Action BM0803. Geneva, Switzerland 15^th -16^th  January 2013.

 

Dissecting the genetic history of a human population: A decade of research about Icelanders (Opening lecture, invited speaker). XXXIII Nordic Congress in Clinical Chemistry. Reykjavik, Iceland. 12^th-15^th June 2012.

 

The population genetics and history of the Icelanders (Invited speaker). Gene diversity in historical Norway and its present day applications. Symposium organized by the Sig. K. Thoresen Foundation and The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Drammensveien 78, Oslo, Norway. 2^nd November 2011.

 

Using IBD segments to study admixture and population structure in Iceland (Invited speaker). ICHG Satellite Workshop: Populations of the New World - Impact of founder effects on health. Montréal Convention Center, Montréal, Canada. October 11^th 2011.

 

Human population structures and the genetic anthropology of Icelanders by DNA sequence analysis (Invited speaker and tutor). EMBO Course: Computational Biology: Genomes, Cells & Systems. University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland. 6^th -13^th August, 2011.

 

Lumping and splitting humans: The current view from population genomics (Invited speaker and tutor). EMBL|EMBO Science and Society Summer School: The Human Animal: Scientific, Social and Moral Perspectives. EMBL Heidelberg, Germany. 1^st-6^th August 2011.

 

A statistical approach to evaluating the authenticity of ancient DNA sequences (Invited speaker). DNA ­ a revolution in archaeology? Research seminar at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. 21^st-22^nd October 2010.

 

Authentication of aDNA – statistical approaches; and Peopling of Iceland – messages from aDNA analysis (Invited speaker – two talks).  Finnish Population Genetic Graduate School - Ancient DNA course. Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland. 7^th-8^th October 2010

 

Tracing the genetic impact of the Viking Age on the people of the North Atlantic Islands (Invited speaker). DNA: New Research In Health And History: A conference in the Shetland Museum and Archives. 14^th-15^th May 2010.

 

Ancient DNA and the settlement of Iceland (Invited seminar). The EBC graduate school on Genomes and Phenotypes Seminar Series, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. 24^th November 2009.

 

Large scale studies at fine scale: Lessons from Iceland (Invited speaker). Genetic Anthropology at Fine Scales Workshop, sponsored by the Wenner Gren Foundation, Honolulu, Hawaii. 25th-26th October 2009.

 

The study of micro-evolutionary patterns using genealogical data: Humans as a model organism (Invited speaker). The University of Iceland´s Annual Congress of Biomedical Research, Reykjavík, Iceland. 5^th-6^th January 2009.

 

The study of micro-evolutionary patterns using genealogical data: Humans as a model organism (Invited seminar). Mathematical Genetics and Bioinformatics Seminar, Department of Statistics, University of Oxford. 25^th November 2008.

 

The study of micro-evolutionary patterns using genealogical data: Humans as a model organism (Invited seminar). DNA and History Seminar Series. Department of History, UCLA, U.S.A. 19^th November 2008.

 

In what sense are genetic variants “normal”, “advantageous” or “pathological”? (Invited speaker). EMBL E4S PhD and Post-Doc Summer School. Heidelberg, Germany. 24^th-30^th August 2008.

 

The study of micro-evolutionary patterns using genealogical data: Humans as a model organism (Invited speaker). Annual meeting of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution 2008. Barcelona, Spain. 5^th-8^th June 2008.

 

deCODEme: The making and use of a personal genome service (Invited speaker). The Personal Genome - Hopes, Facts and Fears Cambridge. EMBL-EBI Science and Society Symposium. Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. 23^rd May 2008.

 

The study of micro-evolutionary patterns using genealogical data: Humans as a model organism (Invited seminar). The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge. 16^th April 2008.

 

Dissecting the genetic history of a human population: A decade of research about Icelanders (Keynote speaker). The Sanger-EBI-Cambridge PhD Symposium (SCAMPS), The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge. 15^th April 2008.

 

The genetic history of the Icelandic population (Invited speaker). The 5^th European Congress in Newborn Screening. Reykjavik, Iceland. June 10^th – 12^th 2007.

 

Dissecting the genetic history of the Icelandic population (Invited seminar). Topmaster mini-symposium on Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Holland. February 8^th-9^th 2007.

 

Tracing the footprints of natural selection in the human genome: Implications for understanding common diseases (Invited seminar). Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Holland. February 8^th 2007.

 

Refining the impact of TCF7L2 gene variants on type 2 diabetes and adaptive evolution (Invited speaker). Human Evolution and Disease, EMBO Workshop, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India. December 6^th-9^th 2006.

 

A statistical approach to identify ancient template DNA (Invited speaker). Human Evolution and Disease, EMBO Workshop, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India. December 6^th-9^th 2006.

 

Assessing the degree of population stratification in association studies: An example from Iceland (Invited speaker). XIV World Congress on Psychiatric Genetics, Cagliari, Sardinia. October 28^th – November 2^nd 2006.

 

Using genetics to trace the impact of Norse activities in the North Atlantic region during the Viking Age (Invited speaker). Migration in the first millennium: Slavs and Vikings. Workshop at Worcester College, Oxford. June 16^th-17^th 2006.

 

The role of evolutionary anthropology in medical genetic research: Some examples from deCODE Genetics in Iceland (Invited seminar). Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, May 12^th 2006.

 

A common inversion conferring selective advantage in Europeans (Oral presentation). Co-authors: H. Stefansson, G.Thorleifsson, V.Steinthorsdottir, G. Masson, J.Barnard, A.Baker, A.Jonasdottir, A.Ingason, V.G. Gudnadottir, N.Desnica, A.Hicks, A.Gylfason, D.F. Gudbjartsson, G.M. Jonsdottir, J.Sainz, K.Agnarsson, B.Birgisdottir, S.Ghosh, A.Olafsdottir, J.B.Cazier, K.Kristjansson, M.L. Frigge, T.E. Thorgeirsson, J.R. Gulcher, A.Kong, K.Stefansson. Genomic studies and the HapMap, International HapMap Project, Oxford, UK, March 15^th-18^th 2005. 

 

Geographic stratification in the ancestry of breast cancer patients and carriers of the BRCA2-999del5 founder mutation in Iceland (Poster). Co-authors: Gudmundsson J, Sulem P, Johannsson O, Sigurdsson H, Hrafnkelsson H, Johannsson J, Gulcher J, Thorsteinsdottir U, Stacey S, Amundadottir L, Stefansson K. American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada, October 26^th-30^th 2004.

 

The genetic legacy of the sexes in the North Atlantic region: mtDNA and Y-chromosomes reveal variable patterns of Norse settlement (Invited speaker). Portugaliæ Genetica: Humans and other domesticates. IPATIMUP, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. 18^th-20^th March 2004.

 

Using genetic data to study human history (Invited seminar). The University of  Greenland (Ilisimatusarfik), Nuuk, Greenland, 11^th September 2003.

 

The genetic history of Greenland (Invited seminar). The University of  Greenland (Ilisimatusarfik), Nuuk, Greenland, 11^th September 2003.

 

Inuit genetic history (Oral presentation) Co-authors: Pálsson G, Pedersen HS, Angulalik E; Stefánsson K. The 12th International Congress of Circumpolar Health (ICCH12) Nuuk, Greenland, 11^th-14^th September 2003.

 

LD patterns in the Xq25 region of the X-chromosome in three European populations (Poster presentation). Co-authors: B Pálsson, B Hrafnkelsson, C Martinez, D Middleton, AV Smith, J Gulcher and K Stefánsson.  5^th International Meeting on SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISM AND COMPLEX GENOME ANALYSIS. 11^th-14^th October, 2002. Reykjavik, Iceland (hosted by deCODE Genetics).

 

A method to evaluate the statistical significance of LD differences between populations (Poster presentation). Co-authors: B Hrafnkelsson, H Stefánsson, GF Jónsson, S Þorvaldsson, K Stefánsson. 5^th International Meeting on SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISM AND COMPLEX GENOME ANALYSIS. 11^th-14^th October, 2002. Reykjavik, Iceland (hosted by deCODE Genetics).

 

Hunting and gathering genes: implications of the genealogical approach to human history (Oral presentation). Co-author: Gisli Palsson. Ninth International Conference on Hunting and Gathering Societies. Session 8: Beyond universalism and relativism. Edinburgh Conference Centre, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton Campus, Edinburgh, Scotland. 9^th-13^th September 2002.

 

The genetic legacy of the Vikings: Mitochondrial DNA and the footprints of Norse Settlement patterns in the North Atlantic islands (Invited oral presentation). SCANDOMIT 2002, 3rd Nordic Region Workshop on Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Disease. Murikka Institute, Teisko, Finland, 2-4 August 2002

 

Genetic Studies of Inuit Populations (Oral presentation). 2^nd Nordic Arctic Research Programme Symposium: “The Arctic in the Anthropocene: The North Atlantic Arctic in Focus, The Stefansson Arctic Institute - Sólborg Campus, Akureyri, Iceland

23^th–25^th  May 2002.

 

Icelandic genealogies indicate that mtDNA lineages drift faster than Y-chromosomes (Oral presentation). Co-authors: R Ward, JR Gulcher and K Stefánsson. Inherited Disorders and their Genes. European Research Conference (Euresco). San Feliu, Spain, 15^th-19^th November 2001.

 

Gaelic contributions to Icelandic origins (Invited oral presentation). Irish Origins: The Genetic History & Geography of Ireland. A conference organised by the Royal Irish Academy’s Advisory Committee for Genetic Anthropology. Academy House, Royal Irish Academy, Friday 8^th December 2000.

 

mtDNA and the origin of the Icelanders: Deciphering signals of recent population history (Oral presentation). Co-authors: S. Sigurðardóttir, J. Gulcher, R. Ward and K. Stefánsson. Third Biennial Euroconference of the European Human Genome Diversity Project, “Human Diversity in Europe and Beyond: Retrospect and Prospect”, Cambridge, 9-13^th September 1999.

 

A phylogenetic portrait of mtDNA variation in the Icelandic population (Poster presentation). Co-authors: S. Sigurðardóttir, J. Gulcher and K. Stefánsson. 1999. Inherited disorders and their genes in different European populations. European Research Conference (Euresco). Obernai, Strasbourg, France, 6^th-10^th May 1999.

 

Drift and origins: Reconstructing the genetic and demographic history of the Icelanders. (Invited oral presentation). 1998 Nordic Meeting of Biological Anthropologists; Clara Lachmann Symposium. Copenhagen, Denmark, 29th –31st January 1998.

 

Analysis of HLA class II haplotypes in Native American aboriginal and Asian populations. (Poster presentation). Co-authors: M.V. Monsalve, D.V. Devine. Sixth Annual Meeting: Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. Vancouver, Canada, June 17th-20th 1998.

 

Genetic drift in the North Atlantic: mtDNA and the Icelandic admixture problem. (Poster presentation). Co-author: E. Hagelberg. European Commission and Human Genome Organisation Euroconference. Variation in the human genome: Acquiring, handling and storing the data. Helsinki, Finland, 12th-16th September 1997.

 

Untangling origins in British Columbia: HLA class II alleles in Native American populations. (Poster presentation). Co-authors: M.V. Monsalve, G. Edin, D.V. Devine. European Commission and Human Genome Organisation Euroconference. Variation in the human genome: Acquiring, handling and storing the data. Helsinki, Finland, 12th-16th September 1997.

 

Contested commodities: Mapping the moral landscape of exchange. (Oral presentation). Co-author: G.Pálsson. 4^th EASA (European Association of Social Anthropologists) Conference, Barcelona, Spain, 12^th-15^th July 1996.