Education
2009 PhD in Biodiversity & Evolution,
University of Bologna
Dissertation:
TNFRSF13B genetic variability, an anthropological
evolutionary approach to
biomedical research
Evaluation: excellent
2008 Lifelong Learning Programme Formative
Traineeship, Barcelona Biomedical Research
Park, Evolutionary Biology
Unit, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona (Spain)
Projetc: “Bioinformatics
tools for evolutionary genetics analyses”
2006 Qualification to practice the profession of
Biologist
2005 Degree in Biological Sciences, Univeristy of
Bologna; evaluation: 110/110, Magna cum Laude
Position & Research Topics
2024-present Delegate for Teaching and Education - Dip. BiGeA
2022-present Member of the Bioethics Committee - Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna
2019-2024 Director of First Cycle Degree in Biological Sciences - Dept. BiGeA
2019-present Associate Professor - Dept. BiGeA
Research topics: Natural selection and human adaptability; Evolutionary medicine
2016-2019 Fixed-term Researcher (L240/2010 b-senior) - Dept. BiGeA
Project: ”Anthropological evolutionary insights into the Italian genomic and phenotypic
variation”
2013-2016 Fixed-term Researcher (L240/2010 a-junior, full
time) - Dept. BiGeA
Project: ”Genomic diversity, selective pressures and adaptation in
human populations”
2011-2013 Senior Post Doctoral Research Fellow - Dept. BiGeA
Project: “Optimization of NGS data analysis methodologies: towards
the application of
massive parallel sequencing to the whole human genome”
2009-2011 Post Doctoral Research Fellow - Dept. of Experimental Evolutionary Biology
Project: “Application of Next Generation Sequencing Technologies to
the study of human
genome variability”
Contribution to Research Projects
CROSSING THE SEA: Ancient and modern human genomes to study the evolutionary dynamics of
Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica (ruolo: Responsabile unità UNIBO, PRIN 2020)
SHERPA - Genetic adaptation and acclimatization to high altitude as experimental models to investigate
the biological mechanisms that regulate physiological responses to hypoxia (ruolo: PI, funded by
Fondazione CARISBO, 2020)
fineMEX - Fine-mapping of potential disadaptive genetic variants, evaluation of their biological relevance
and correlation with disease prevalence in Native and Admixed Mexican populations (ruolo: PI, finanziato
da Mexican Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, 2019)
MEX - Inferring genetic adaptations to local environments in Mexican populations and identifying
potential dis-adaptive loci predisposing them to chronic complex diseases (ruolo: PI, funded by Mexican
Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, 2018)
PH-NGS - Next generation sequencing in the evaluation of the genetic profile associated to pulmonary
hypertension (ruolo: Responsabile unità BiGeA, funded by Fondazione CARISBO, 2016)
LANGELIN - Meeting Darwin's last challenge: toward a
global tree of human languages & genes
(FP7 Ideas, ERC 2011)
EPIC - Biological and cultural heritage of the
Central-Southern Italian population trough 30 kyr
(PRIN 2010-2011)
NGS-PTL - Next Generation Sequencing platform for
targeted Personalized Therapy of Leukemia
(FP7 Cooperation 2012)
PsA GWAS - A genome-wide association study of
Psoriatic Arthritis in the Italian population
(funded by Pfizer International, 2011)
TASTE GENETIC GEOGRAPHY: a pilot study on the Emilia
Romagna population
(funded by Fondazione del Monte, 2011)
GENOGRAPHIC Italia
(funded by National Geographic & IBM, 2011)
ISOLATING THE ISOLATES: analysis of geographical and
cultural factors influencing human genetic
variability (PRIN
2007)
