Iman Hamid

I earned my PhD in Genetics & Genomics in Dr. Amy Goldberg’s lab at Duke University. I have research experience spanning the fields of population genetics, bioinformatics, evolutionary biology, statistics, and molecular biology.

My current work focuses on applying, developing, and improving computational and statistical methods to identify genetic associations with clinically relevant traits while accounting for the unique genetic architectures and population history of humans around the world. Through my thesis work, I gained unique experience with methods tailored specifically for low-coverage genomic data (i.e. ancient DNA) or populations with mixed ancestry (i.e. admixed populations). Many of these populations have been historically underrepresented in genomics studies due to the lack of methods, and my work helps broaden the diversity of populations we can study and paves the way for future insights on evolutionary history, disease susceptibility, and phenotypic variation in these populations. I also have experience applying machine learning and computer vision methods for genomic analyses.

I am also passionate about science communication and outreach, and in my free time, I enjoy creative writing. I love telling stories that center Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian (MENASA) heroes. I have recently taken up screenwriting, where I share fun and engaging stories that portray Muslims and MENASA-coded characters (in sci-fi or fantasy) as we are: humans who smile, laugh, fight, cry, make mistakes, and save the day–as all other humans do. I have been honored to have one of my screenplays, Ana Amreeka, recently chosen for an exclusive workshop with the producers of Familiar Stranger in partnership with the MPAC Hollywood Bureau.