Luca Cornetti

Telefono: +39 3389570057 

e-mail: luca.cornetti@unife.it

web page personale

Curriculum Vitae esteso english (pdf)

ATTIVITA' DI RICERCA - RESEARCH ACTIVITY

I’m actually working on conservation and adaptation of vertebrate species in Trentino Alto-Adige. I’m particularly involved in ACESAP project (ALPINE ECOSYSTEMS IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT: BIODIVERSITY SENSITIVITY AND ADAPTIVE POTENTIAL). I deal with three different species (one reptile and two amphibians): Zootoca vivipara, Bombina variegata and Rana temporaria.
Zootoca vivipara is really interesting because in the north of Italy live two different subspecies (vivipara and carniolica), morphologically identical. I’m trying to analyze taxonomical and ecological distribution of the two subspecies in Alps chain. Analyzing mtDNA cytochrome b it’s possible to discriminate them; considering the high variability of the gene in this species, it was possible to perform some phylogenetic analyses. Microsatellites analyses are in progress to better understand population structure in Trentino.
While Zootoca vivipara is very interesting for conservation reasons, Rana temporaria is commonly present in the Alps, and now I’m collecting nuclear microsatellites data about this species to explain its population structure in this region. It also shows altitudinal gradients that provide a suitable model to study adaptive responses to global change.
The species Bombina variegata has experienced some local extinctions and population declines in this area. In Italy it is present to the north of river Po with fragmented populations. Populations of this species might be locally threatened by the loss of suitable habitat due to anthropogenic pressure and mycosis. Thus, it is important to obtain data to explain relationship between Alps populations and also searching for reasons of its decline.
I also did some analyses about MC1R gene, responsible for intraspecific coat colour variation in galliformes. 

BREVE CURRICULUM VITAE

2010-present  Ph.D. in Evolutionary and Enviromental Biology, University of Ferrara (Supervisor: Prof. Giorgio Bertorelle)

2009-present  Laboratory and field research assistant in molecular ecology at Research and Innovation Center - “Edmund Mach” Foundation; Center of Alpine Ecology”

2008:              Master degree in Biomolecular Science at University of Ferrara Thesis title: “Denaturing HPLC (DHPLC) and new genetic applications in scientific investigations”. Supervisor: Prof. Giorgio Bertorelle. Final mark: 110/110 cum laude

2006:              Bachelor of Science in Biology at University of Ferrara, Thesis title: “Human genomic diversity analysis: comparison between nuclear and mitochondrial polymorphisms”. Supervisor: Prof. Guido Barbujani. Final mark: 110/110 cum laude

ALTRO