Unit of Human biology and ecology
Lab of Human biology and ecology
tel. ++39 051/2094192
fax ++39 051/2094191
Group Leader: Prof. Davide Pettener
E-mail : davide.pettener@unibo.it
Research in progress :
- 1. Genetic History of admixed populations: The Laboratory of Biology and Ecology of Human Populations analyses the interactions between genetic structure and demographic and environmental factors (migration, admixture, inbreeding, isolation, etc.). The 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 populations of Central Asia (Kazakhstan and Kirghizstan); Afro-Amerindian populations of South America (Ecuador, Peru); Arbereshe populations (Italo-Albanians of Calabria, Italy); Isolated mountain populations in Italy (Trentin Alps, Tuscan Apennines) and Spain (Sierra de La Cabrera).
- 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.
Funding :
PRIN 1999 (MIUR) “Variabilità molecolare e biodemografica in popolazioni isolate di ambiente montano”
PRIN 2001 (MIUR): "Variabilità genetico-molecolare e struttura biodemografica di popolazioni di ambiente montano: flussi genici e matrici di migrazione”
PRIN 2003 (MIUR) “Influenze della struttura biodemografica sulla variabilità del cromosoma Y e del DNA mitocondriale in popolazioni a diverso grado di mobilità”.
CNR 1999- 2001: "Progetto Finalizzato Beni Culturali del CNR, sottoprogetto Archivio Biologico".
Patents :
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Selected Publications :
- BLANCO VILLEGAS M.J. , BOATTINI A, RODRÍGUEZ OTERO H., PETTENER D (2004) Inbreeding Patterns in La Cabrera (Spain): Dispensations, Multiple Consanguinity Analysis and Isonymy. Human Biology, 76: 191-216.
- LALUEZA-FOX C., SAMPIETRO M.L, GILBERT M.T.P. , CASTRI L., FACCHINI F., PETTENER D., BERTRANPETIT J. (2003) Unravelling migrations in the steppe: mitochondrial DNA sequences from ancient Central Asians. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B, 271: 941–947.
- GUERESI P., PETTENER D., MARTUZZI VERONESI F. (2001) Isolation and patterns in marriage behaviour in an Alpine valley (Non Valley, 1825-1923). Annals of Human Biology, 28: 157-171.
- TOSELLI S., TARAZONA-SANTOS E., PETTENER D. (2001) Body size, composition and blood pressure of high altitude Quechua from the Peruvian central Andes (Huancavelica, 3,680 m). American Journal of Human Biology, 13: 539-547.
- FIORI G., FACCHINI F., ISMAGULOV O., ISMAGULOVA A., TARAZONA SANTOS E., PETTENER D. (2000) Lung Volume, chest size and hematological variation in Low, medium and high altitude Central Asian populations. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 113: 47-59.
- SIMONI L., CALAFELL F., PETTENER D., BERTRANPETIT J., BARBUJANI G., (2000) Reconstruction of Prehistory on the Basis of Genetic Data. American Journal of Human Genetics, 66:1177-1179.
- FIORI G., FACCHINI F., RIMONDI A., PETTENER D., BATTISTINI N., BEDOGNI G., (2000) Relationships between blood pressure, anthropometric variables and blood lipids in high and low altitude populations from Central Asia. Annals of Human Biology, 27: 19-28.
- SIMONI L., CALAFELL F., PETTENER D., BERTRANPETIT J., BARBUJANI G (2000) Geographic patterns of mtDNA diversity in Europe. American Journal of Human Genetics, 66:262-278.
- TARAZONA-SANTOS E., LAVINE M., PASTOR S., FIORI G., PETTENER D. (2000) Hematological and pulmonary responses to high altitude in Quechuas. A multivariate approach American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 111: 165-176.
- SIMONI L., GUERESI P., PETTENER D., BARBUJANI G. (1999) Patterns of gene flow inferred from genetic distances in the Mediterranean region. Human Biology, 71:401-417.
Postgraduate training :
PhD Programme in Anthropological Sciences
PhD Programme in Biodiversity and Evolution : Genetic and bio-demographic structure of isolated human populations
Collaborations :
-Department of Biology, University of Maryland, USA (Prof. Sarah Tiskhoff and collaborators).
-Facultad de Biologia, Universidad de Salamanca, Spain (Prof. Blanco-Viullegas and collaborators).
-Laboratory of Human Genetics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain (Prof. Jaume Bertranpetit and collaborators).
-Laboratory of Anthropology, Academy of Sciences of Almaty, Kazakhstan (Prof. Orazak Ismagulov and collaborators).
-Department of Genetics, University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, (Prof. Fabricio Santos and collaborators ).
Links :
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Research group :
Prof. Davide Pettener (Full Professor)
Dr. Loredana Castrì (Postdoc)
Dr. Alessio Boattini (PhD student)
Dr. Antonella Useli (PhD student)
