Nathan Lents' research lab currently has two active projects. First, they are studying the recent evolution of the human genome in an effort to help understand the genetic underpinnings of human uniqueness. Of particular interest are genes and other genetic elements that are unique to humans and extinct relatives and that distinguish us from the other African apes. They are engaged in a genome-scale effort to discover and characterize these human-specific genes and infer their evolutionary origin. Secondly, their laboratory is examining the unique evolution of microRNA genes in Neanderthals, Denisovans, and modern humans, and how these small regulators may influence the gene expression networks responsible for the unique phenotypes of each of those species.

In addition to his research, Lents also writes popular science books, articles, and blogs at The Human Evolution Blog and Psychology Today under the tagline "Beastly Behavior: How Evolution Shaped Our Minds and Bodies."

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