Ph.D. Program in Biodiversity and Evolution
PhD Programme in Anthropological Sciences
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PhD Programme in Biodiversity and Evolution : Genetic and bio-demographic structure of isolated human populations
1. Genetic history of admixed populations: The Laboratory of Human Biology and Ecology analyzes interactions between genetic structure and demographic and environmental factors (migration, admixture, inbreeding, isolation...). Genetic structure of populations with different degrees of isolation is investigated using mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome genetic polymorphisms in order to reconstruct the micro-evolutionary history of maternal and paternal genetic lineages. The association of biodemographic and molecular data allows detailed estimates of biogeographic ancestrality and the analysis of the genetic history of the origin of the examined genes. Biodemographic and molecular methods are currently applied to reconstruct and investigate the genetic history of the following populations with different degrees of isolation and admixture: - Turko-mongolic (Kazakhstan e Kirghizstan)and Kurd populations from Asia; - Afro-amerindian populations of South-America (Ecuador, Peru); - Arbereshe populations (Italo-Albanians) of Calabria; - Isolated mountain populations (Trentin Alps, Tuscan Apennines; Sierra de La Cabrera, Spain). 2. Human adaptability to high altitude Genetic and physiological adaptations to high altitude stresses are investigated in Quechua populations of the Peruvian Central Andes and in Kazakh and Kirghiz populations from Pamir, Central Asia.
Research Group
Prof. Davide Pettener (Full Professor)
Dr. Loredana Castrì (Postdoc)
Dr. Alessio Boattini (PhD student)
Dr. Antonella Useli (PhD student)
