Human Populations Genomics Laboratory

Genomica Popolazioni umane

One of the main objectives of the research is to contribute to a reconstruction of the evolutionary history and migration of human populations (at a micro and macro-geographical level) based on genetic and genomic data, which can also be used in various scientific and cultural fields, from forensics to historical, archaeological, linguistic, anthropological, educational and public health.

The genetic systems analyzed are both autosomes and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and the male-specific portion of the Y chromosome (MSY), which being uniparental transmission, are not scrambled by recombination and constitute a molecular archive of the history and migrations of females and males who respectively passed them on to subsequent generations.Some of our studies also have important implications for understanding the development and progression of certain diseases, aging processes and athletic performance.

 

Origin of European populations and Mediterranean area

Referents: Prof. Alessandro Achilli, Prof. Anna Olivieri, Prof. Ornella Semino, Prof. Antonio Torroni

Co-workers: Nataliia Kozak (PhD student), Giulia Colombo (PhD student), Vincenzo Agostini (PhD student), Nicola Rambaldi Migliore (post-doc)

Collaborations:

  • Univ. of Innsbruck (Dr. M. Bodner & Prof. W. Parson);
  • Univ. of Huddersfield (Prof. M. B. Richards & Prof. M. Pala);
  • Univ. of Minho (Prof. P. Soares)

 

Origin of North African populations

Referents: Prof. Anna Olivieri, Prof. Ornella Semino, Prof. Antonio Torroni

Co-workers: Giulia Colombo (PhD student)

Collaborations:

  • Univ. La Sapienza, Roma (Prof. F. Cruciani & Prof. Beniamino Trombetta);
  • Univ. Tor Vergata, Roma (Prof.  A. Novelletto),
  • Univ. Vienna (Prof. Ron Pinhasi)

 

Genetic origin of Italian populations

Referents: Prof. Alessandro Achilli, Prof. Luca Ferretti, Prof. Anna Olivieri, Prof. Ornella Semino, Prof. Antonio Torroni

Co-workers: Nataliia Kozak (PhD student); Giulia Colombo (PhD student), Vincenzo Agostini (PhD student), Nicola Rambaldi Migliore (post-doc)

Internal collaborations: Dr. Patrizia Chiari

Collaborations:

  • Univ. Perugia (Prof. H. Lancioni);
  • Univ. Firenze (Prof. D. Caramelli & Dr. M. Lari);
  • Human Technopole, Milano (Dr. A. Raveane);
  • Univ. Bari (Dr. F. Montinaro);
  • Univ. Bologna (Prof. V. Carelli)

 

Population of the Americas: a genetic perspective

Referents: Prof. Alessandro Achilli, Prof. Anna Olivieri, Prof. Ornella Semino, Prof. Antonio Torroni

Co-workers: Ana Chero Osorio (PhD student); Giulia Colombo (PhD student), Nicola Rambaldi Migliore (post-doc)

Internal collaborations: Dr. Viola Grugni

Collaborations:

  • Trinity College Dublin (Dr. M. R. Capodiferro);
  • University of Illinois (Prof. Ripan Malhi)