Curriculum vitae of Andrea Luchetti
Born in Rome the 20th May 1976.
Education
20/04/2007 PhD in Biodiversity and Evolution, University of
Bologna. Thesis title: “Evolution of repetitive DNA in model
arthropods”.
13/3/2002. Master degree in Biological Sciences at University of
Bologna, with Thesis on "Molecular characterisation of Bag320
satellite DNA in hybrid unisexual insects of the genus
Bacillus (Insecta Phasmatodea)" (Supervisors: Prof. V.
Scali, Prof. B. Mantovani).
Research Experience
January 2019 - present. Associate Professor of Zoology, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna.
January 2016 - January 2019. Senior Researcher, Lab. of Molecular Zoology, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna.
November 2012 – January 2016. Junior Researcher, Lab. of
Molecular Zoology, Department of Biological, Geological and
Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna.
November 2009 – October 2012. Research fellowship, Lab. of
Molecular Zoology, Department of Evolutionary and Experimental
Biology, University of Bologna (Supervisor: Prof. B.
Mantovani).
October 2007 – October 2009. Post-doc position, Lab. of
Molecular Zoology, Department of Evolutionary and Experimental
Biology, University of Bologna (Supervisor: Prof. B.
Mantovani).
January 2004 – December 2006. PhD student in the Biodiversity
and Evolution program, Lab. of Molecular Zoology, Department of
Evolutionary and Experimental Biology, University of Bologna, with
Thesis on "Evolution of repetitive DNA in model arthropods"
(Supervisor: Prof. B. Mantovani).
April – December 2003. Scholarship on "ex 40%-2002" founds,
working on "Microsatellites in Branchiopods" (Supervisor: Prof. F.
Scanabissi).
July – December 2002. Scholarship on "Canziani" founds, working
on "Molecular variability trends of satellite DNA families in
arthropods with non-canonical reproductive modes" (Supervisor:
Prof. B. Mantovani).
April – June 2002. Graduate student at Biochemical and Molecular
Systematic Lab, Department of Evolutionary and Experimental
Biology, University of Bologna, working on satellite DNA
variability in Bacillus rossius, and molecular phylogenetics
of subterranean termites of the genus Reticulitermes
(Supervisor: Prof. B. Mantovani).
February 2001 – February 2002. Degree internship at Biochemical
and Molecular Systematic Lab, Department of Evolutionary and
Experimental Biology, University of Bologna, working on molecular
characterization of Bag320 satellite DNA in unisexual hybrids of
Bacillus stick insects (Phasmida).
Other courses
February 2007 – Enablement to the profession of Biologist.
September 2006 – Summer School in “Genome Evolution in
Eukaryotes”, University of Bologna.
May 2006 - International School on Applied Statistics in Natural
and Environmental Sciences, University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”.
Teaching experience
A.A. 2016/2017, Professor of "Lab of Molecular Phylogenetics" (module 1 - 48 ore) 2nd Degree Courses in Biodiversity and Evolution, University of Bologna.
A.A. 2015/2016-2016/2017. Professor of "Molecular Phylogenetics" (64 ore) Master in Bioinformatics, University of Bologna.
A.Y. 2011/2012 – 2012/2013. Contract Professor of “Zoology”
(module), 1st Degree Courses in Animal production and Wildlife
management, University of Bologna.
A.Y. 2009/2010. Contract Professor of “Lab of Bioinformatics
applied to the Evolutionary Biology” (module), 2nd Degree Courses
in Biodiversity and Evolution, University of Bologna, and member of
examining committee.
A.Y. 2007/2008. Contract Professor of “Zoology” (module), 1st
Degree Courses in Technology for the Preservation and Restoration
of the Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna.
Teaching Assistance
A.Y. 2011/2012. Teaching Assistant in “Zoology”, 1nd Degree
Courses in Biological Sicences, University of Bologna, and member
of examining committee.
A.Y. 2010/2011, 2011/2012. Teaching Assistant in “Lab of
Molecular Phylogeny”, 2nd Degree Courses in Biodiversity and
Evolution, University of Bologna, and member of examining
committee.
A.Y. 2008/2009 – 2010/2011. Teaching Assistant in “Animal
Biology (Biology and General Zoology)”, 1st Degree Courses in
Biological Sciences, University of Bologna, and member of examining
committee.
A.Y. 2005/2006 – 2008/2009. Teaching Assistant in “Lab of
Molecular Systematic of the Animals”, 1st Degree Courses in
Biological Sciences, University of Bologna, and member of the
examining committee.
A.Y. 2006/2007, 2007/2008. Teaching Assistant in “Animal Biology
(Reproduction, development and dispersion strategies)”, 1st Degree
Courses in Biological Sciences, University of Bologna, and member
of examining committee.
A.Y. 2004/2005 - 2006/2007. Teaching Assistant in "Zoology", 1st
Degree Courses in Technology for the Preservation and Restoration
of the Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna.
A.Y. 2004/2005. Teaching Assistant in "Parasitology Lab", 2nd
Degree Courses in Sanitary Biological Sciences, University of
Bologna.
Other exam commissions
A.Y. 2009/2010. Member of the examining committee of the course
“Biological Evolution”, 1st Degree Courses in Natural Sciences,
University of Bologna
A.Y. 2006/2007 – 2009/2010. Member of the examining committee of
the course “Animal Biology”, 1st Degree Courses in Chemistry and
Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Bologna.
A.Y. 2009-2010 – today. Member of the examining committee of the
course “Animal Biology”, 1st Degree Courses in Pharmaceutical
Sciences, University of Bologna
A.Y. 2006/2007. Member of the examining committee of the course
“Animal Biology”, 1st Degree Courses in Scientific Drug Informer,
University of Bologna.
Student supervisor
During my activity I was co-supervisor of 4 degree thesis of the
5-year Courses in Biological Sciences, 2 thesis for 1st Degree
Courses and 4 thesis for 2nd Degree Courses; moreover, I was
co-supervisor of 4 PhD thesis in the Biodiversity and Evolution
program.
I was also supervisor of three foreign PhD students visiting the
MoZoo Lab.
Other professional experiences
A.Y. 2008/2009 – 2010/2011. Tutor of the Scientific Degree
Project for high school students at Department of Evolutionary and
Experimental Biology – University of Bologna
March – July 2007. Collaboration contract for organizing and
management activities for the Presidency of the University
Residential Centre of Bertinoro for formation and research.
A.Y. 2004/2005 - 2006/2007. Tutor of 1st Degree Courses in
Biological Sciences, University of Bologna.
A.Y. 2004/2005. Member of the Department Council of the
Department of Evolutionary and Experimental Biology – University of
Bologna
Research activity
I am author or co-author of 54 scientific papers on both Italian
and international peer-reviewed journals; 52 out 54 papers
are on journals with impact factor. Moreover, I presented 42
communications and/or posters at national and international
Congresses.
I was referee for the following journals: “Molecular Biology and Evolution”, “Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution”, “Animal Genetics”, “Molecular Biology Reports”, “Journal of Insect Science”, “Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy”, “Molecular Genetics and Genomics”, “European Journal of Plant Pathology”, "Insectes Sociaux", "American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene", "Genetica", "Journal of Biogeography", "Naturwissenschaften", "Bulletin of Insectology", “Molecular Ecology”, "Plos ONE", "Organisms Diversity and Evolution", "Journal of Molluscan Studies".
I was invited speaker at the European Science Foundation LESC
Exploratory Workshop “Heterochromatin structure and function: from
repetitive DNA sequences to epigenetics” (Donja Stubica,
Croatia, September 2008). Talk title: “Repetitive DNAs in
bivalve molluscs”.
My main research interest is the study of molecular evolution in
different Arthropoda with special regard to the study of the
evolution of repetitive DNA: tandem repeats (satellite DNA,
ribosomal DNA) and interspersed repeats (transposable elements).
Since the evolutionary dynamics of these sequence, and then the
correct interpretation of mechanisms underlying their evolution, is
strictly linked to the taxonomy and the biology of analyzed animal
systems I also investigated the phylogeny, phylogeography,
molecular systematics and the reproductive biology of several
insect and crustacean species.
The main research lines, therefore, are:
- Molecular phylogentics,
systematics and reproductive biology of Insecta, particularly
Isoptera: Kalotermitidae and Rhinotermitidae; Crustacea,
Branchiopoda: Choncostraca and Notostraca.
- Evolutionary dynamics of
repetitive DNA (mainly satellite DNA and retrotransposons) in the
genome of arthropods with non-canonical reproductive strategies
(parthenogenesis; ermaphroditism) or non-panmictic
(eusociality).
Collaborations
- Dr. G. Burgio, Dep. of Agro-Environmental Sciences and
Technology-Area of Entomology “Guido Grandi”, University of
Bologna: molecular characterisation of insect of agro-environmental
relevance: genus Liriomyza, Phytomyza,
Chromatomyia (Diptera Agromyzidae), and Chrysotoxum
(Diptera Syrphidae)".
- Dr. Tracy Dawes-Gromadzki, Commonwealth Scientific and
Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Northern Territory,
Australia: molecular systematic and phylogenetics of Australian
Isoptera.
- Dr. Miroslav Plohl, Department of molecular genetics, Ruđer
Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia: molecular evolution of
satellite DNA in animal models.
- Phasmida DNA Barcoding Campaign. Co-ordinator: Paul Brock
(Scientific Associate, Natural History Museum, London), Alex V.
Borisenko, project manager; Italian representative: Barbara
Mantovani; Australian representative: Jack Hasenpusch, Australian
Insect Farm, Garradunga, Queensland.
- Dr. Vedrana Vicic e dr. Vlatka Zoldos, Faculty of Science,
Biology, Dept. of Molecular Biology, University of Zagreb, Croatia:
chromosome rearrangement in the Bacillus stick-insects .
- Dr. Sarah J. Wheelan, Center for Computational Genomics, The
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA:
Triops cancriformis genome project.
- Dr. Kenji Matsuura, Graduate School of Environmental Science,
Okayama University, Japan: retrotrasposons (R2, SINE) activity in
the parthenogenetic termite Reticulitermes speratus.
- Prof. Anne-Geneviève Bagnères, Institut de Recherche sur la
Biologie de l'Insecte, Université F. Rabelais, Tours, France:
colony breeding structure in the termite Reticulitermes
urbis.
- Prof. Franck Dedeine Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de
l'Insecte, Université F. Rabelais, Tours, France: colony breeding
structure, reproductive biology and genetic diversity of the
termite Kalotermes flavicollis.
- Prof. Hong Yang, College of Life Sciences, Central China
Normal University, Wuhan, China: molecular phylogeny of the termite
genus Reticulitermes.
Scientific Societies Membership
- A.I.S.A.S.P. – Italian Section of I.U.S.S.I (International
Union for the Study of Social Insects)
- S.I.B.E.-I.S.E.B. Italian Society of Evolutionary
Biology
- E.S.E.B. European Society for Evolutionary Biology
- U.Z.I. Italian Union of Zoology
