evolutionary genomics – phylogenomics – zoology – (newbie) evo-devo – non-model organisms – outreach

Hello everyone and welcome to my page! I am Filippo Nicolini, a PhD student at the University of Bologna working with people from the EVO · COM research group.

My main scientific interest regards evolutionary zoology and, within my PhD, I would really love to improve my ability to study the reciprocal interplay between the evolution of genomes and the evolution of complex traits in order to understand how the two processes influence each other.

My PhD is mainly focused on bivalve comparative genomics with a particular interest for genes involved in sex determination, in the attempt to understand their patterns of molecular evolution and genome dynamics. Alongside bioinformatics, I am also leveraging several wet lab techniques (such as HCR mRNA-FISH and karyology) to gain a more comprehensive investigation of bivalves sex determination.

I am also engaged in other research lines, consisting on comparative genomics analyses in branchiopod crustaceans and walking sticks to unravel the genomic bases of morphological stasis and re-evolution of wings, respectively.

Enjoy my page and feel free to get in touch!!