Giorgia Modenini – Biological Networks – Young Scientist Award
Dr. Giorgia Modenini distinguished academic and researcher in the field Biological Networks.
Educations📚📚📚
She has been deeply engaged in academic pursuits since 2014, commencing with her Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Bologna, Italy, where she attained a commendable grade of 106/110. This laid the foundation for her subsequent academic journey. Building upon her undergraduate studies, she pursued a Master of Science in Biodiversity and Evolution at the same institution, achieving the highest distinction of 110/110 cum laude, indicative of her exceptional aptitude and dedication. Undeterred by challenges, she continued to excel in her academic endeavors and embarked on a PhD course in Environment, Earth, and Life Sciences at the University of Bologna. Spanning from 2020 to the present, this doctoral program underscores her commitment to advancing knowledge and contributing to the fields of biological, geological, and environmental sciences. Throughout her academic trajectory, she has demonstrated a fervent passion for her chosen disciplines and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
She has actively contributed to the academic community through various engagements and leadership roles in conferences focused on the role of transposable elements in human evolution and diseases. Notably, she organized and co-chaired the “Transposable Elements in Human Brain Evolution and Diseases” virtual conferences in December 2021 and December 2022, featuring esteemed speakers such as Marie Jönnson, Jose Luis Garcia-Perez, Fabio Macciardi, Cedric Feschotte, Johan Jakobsson, and Molly Gale Hammell. Her dedication to advancing knowledge in this field is further exemplified by her role as the organizer and co-chair of the “Transposable Elements in Human Evolution and Diseases” virtual conference in February 2024, featuring confirmed invited speakers Anna Sophie Fiston-Lavier and Marco Trizzino. Moreover, her outstanding contributions were recognized with the “Best Poster Award” at the XXV Congress of the Italian Anthropological Association, presented by the Italian Primatologists Association, for her poster titled “Exploring signatures of adaptive introgression on chromosome 22 in worldwide human populations,” a fitting tribute to the memory of Judith Masters and Fabien Génin. Through these endeavors, she continues to foster collaboration and facilitate discussions at the forefront of scientific research.
She has been actively involved in various academic activities spanning several years, showcasing her commitment to advancing knowledge in her field. From April to September 2019, she undertook an internship at the Molecular Anthropology Lab at the University of Bologna, Italy. Here, she delved into the intricate relationships between non-LTR retrotransposons and schizophrenia in both modern and ancient human populations. This experience provided her with invaluable insights into the intersection of genetics and mental health. Subsequently, in February to May 2023, she embarked on an international internship at the Globe Institute, Lundbeck Foundation, Copenhagen, Denmark. During this period abroad, she immersed herself in the project titled “Investigating human evolution through the lens of retrotransposons,” further expanding her understanding of evolutionary genetics. Currently, since November 2020, she has been engaged as a PhD student at the Molecular Anthropology Lab, University of Bologna, Italy. Her doctoral research focuses on studying retrotransposition events and DNA methylation in the evolution of the human brain, a testament to her continued dedication to unraveling the complexities of human evolution and genetics.
Seminars and thesis
She has been actively involved in supervising and supporting research projects and academic activities related to transposable elements and genetic variability. Under her guidance as a supervisor, Giacomo Mercuri presented his thesis titled “Polymorphic transposable element insertions provide new insights into North-Eastern Italian isolates’ genetic variability” for the LM Biodiversità ed Evoluzione program. Similarly, Stefano Puleo explored the signatures of adaptive introgression on chromosome 22 in worldwide human populations for his thesis under her supervision. Additionally, she has contributed to the academic community by delivering lessons on “Transposable Elements as drivers of genome evolution” and “Transposable Elements as drivers of evolution” for the course “Genetica di popolazione ed evoluzione molecolare,” showcasing her expertise in the field. Furthermore, she supervised Francesco Magni’s thesis, which focused on transposable elements variability in ancient and modern human samples, further enriching the understanding of genetic dynamics. Through these mentorship roles and academic contributions, she continues to advance knowledge and foster intellectual growth in the field of biodiversity and evolution.
- A retrotransposon storm marks clinical phenoconversion to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease
F Macciardi, M Giulia Bacalini, R Miramontes, A Boattini, C Taccioli, …GeroScience 44 (3), 1525-1550
- Evolutionarily recent retrotransposons contribute to schizophrenia
G Modenini, P Abondio, G Guffanti, A Boattini, F MacciardiTranslational psychiatry 13 (1), 181
- Y‐chromosome variability and genetic history of Commons from Northern Italy
S Sarno, R Boscolo Agostini, S De Fanti, G Ferri, S Ghirotto, G Modenini, …American Journal of Physical Anthropology 175 (3), 665-679
- The coevolution between APOBEC3 and retrotransposons in primates
G Modenini, P Abondio, A BoattiniMobile DNA 13 (1), 27
- Role of Transposable Elements in behavioral traits: insights from six genetic isolates from North-Eastern Italy
G Modenini, G Mercuri, P Abondio, GG Nardone, A Santin, P Tesolin, .
- Evolution of cognitive traits in the hominin clade: a paleoneurological approach
F Macciardi, A Boattini, G Modenini, F MartiniAMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 177, 112-112
- Polymorphic Transposable Elements Provide New Insights on High-Altitude Adaptation in the Tibetan Plateau
G Modenini, P Abondio, M Sazzini, A BoattiniAvailable at SSRN 4719417
- Transposable Elements as biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disorder
F Macciardi, MG Bacalini, R Miramontes, C Taccioli, A Boattini, …2021 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference