Dr. Anna Olivieri is a 32-year old researcher (three-year contract) at the Department of Biology and Biotechnology (former Department of Genetics and Microbiology) at the University of Pavia and, since December 2010, is responsible for a Research Unit of a project “FIRB Futuro in Ricerca” financed by the Italian Ministry of the University. In January 2009, she got a Ph.D. degree in Genetic and Biomolecular Sciences at the University of Pavia with a thesis on mitochondrial genome variation in human and cattle populations. From November 2009 to November 2010, she received a postdoctoral scholar “Dottori di ricerca e mondo del lavoro” from the University of Pavia in collaboration with the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF), Utah (USA). In June 2009 she won one of the 5 fellowships from the Italian L'OREAL-UNESCO award “for women in science” with a project entitled: Horse domestication: the female perspective of mitochondrial DNA. In 2008 (while attending her Ph.D.) she got a “Short Term Fellowship” from EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization) for a 90 day visit at the Department of Evolutionary Biology at the Estonian Biocentre of the University of Tartu (Estonia) in the laboratory directed by Prof. Richard Villems. Her area of expertise is mainly the analysis of the mitochondrial (mtDNA) and Y chromosome sequence variation in human populations, with the goal to discover and describe the past events of human diffusion and colonization across continents that led to the present day ethnic groups and populations. Moreover she has been also involved in studies regarding the pathological variation of human mtDNA and in the analysis of mitochondrial genome evolution of taurine cattle (and horse) with particular focus on the impact that domestication process had in shaping the present day bovine variability. She co-authored a total of 26 publications in international ISI journals, with an overall number of more than 700 academic citations (without self-citations). The current ISI h-index is 13. In May 2011 she was winner of a “Golden Apple” for the XXIII edition of the Marisa Bellisario Prize for young researchers .

Her research activity focuses on three major topics:
(1) the analysis of the mtDNA variation in human populations, in order to shed light on their origin, evolution and dispersal routes; (2) the analysis of mtDNA variation in animals (i.e. cattle and horses), to improve the knowledge about domestication events that led to the actual genetic distribution and variability; (3) the role of mtDNA variation in human pathologies and complex phenotypes.

1. Olivieri, et al (2013) Mitogenomes from two uncommon haplogroups mark Late Glacial/postglacial expansions from the Near East and Neolithic dispersals within Europe. PLoS One 8:e70492.
2. Achilli, et al (2013) Reconciling migration models to the Americas with the variation of North American Native mitogenomes. PNAS USA [Epub ahead of print].
3. Fedorova, et al (2013) Autosomal and uniparental portraits of the native populations of Sakha (Yakutia): implications for the peopling of Northeast Eurasia. BMC Evol Biol 13:127.
4. Kushniarevich, et al (2013) Uniparental genetic heritage of belarusians: encounter of rare middle eastern matrilineages with a central European mitochondrial DNA pool. PLoS One 8:e66499.
5. Achilli, et al (2012) Mitochondrial genomes from modern horses reveal the major haplogroups that underwent domestication. PNAS USA 109:2449.
6. Achilli, et al (2012) Rare primary mitochondrial DNA mutations and probable synergistic variants in Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy. PLoS One 7:e42242.
7. Bodner, et al (2012) Rapid coastal spread of first Americans: novel insights from South America's Southern Cone mitochondrial genomes. Genome Res 22:811.
8. Bonfiglio, et al (2012) Origin and Spread of Bos taurus: new clues from mitochondrial genomes belonging to haplogroup T1. PLoS One 7:e38601.
9. Cerezo, et al (2012) Reconstructing ancient mitochondrial DNA links between Africa and Europe. Genome Res 22:821.
10. de Saint Pierre, et al (2012) Arrival of Paleo-Indians to the southern cone of South America: new clues from mitogenomes. PLoS One 7:e51311.
11. Gómez-Carballa, et al (2012) Genetic continuity in the Franco-Cantabrian region: new clues from autochthonous mitogenomes. PLoS One 7:e32851.
12. Grugni, et al (2012) Ancient migratory events in the middle East: new clues from the Y-chromosome variation of modern Iranians. PLoS One 7:e41252.
13. Hooshiar Kashani, et al (2011) Mitochondrial haplogroup C4c: A rare lineage entering America through the ice-free corridor? Am J Phys Anthr 147:35.
14. Karachanak, et al (2012) Bulgarians vs the other European populations: a mitochondrial DNA perspective. Int J Legal Med 126:497.
15. Pala, et al (2012) Mitochondrial DNA signals of late glacial recolonization of Europe from near eastern refugia. Am J Hum Genet 90:915.
16. Perego, et al (2012) Decrypting the mitochondrial gene pool of modern Panamanians. PLoS One 7:e38337.
17. Al-Zahery, et al (2011) In search of the genetic footprints of Sumerians: a survey of Y-chromosome and mtDNA variation in the Marsh Arabs of Iraq. BMC Evol Biol 11:288.
18. Achilli, et al (2011) Mitochondrial DNA backgrounds might modulate diabetes complications rather than T2DM as a whole. PLoS One 6:e21029.
19. Karachanak, et al (2011) Bulgarians vs the other European populations: a mitochondrial DNA perspective. Int J Leg Med 126:497.
20. Bonfiglio, et al (2010) The enigmatic origin of bovine mtDNA haplogroup R: sporadic interbreeding or an independent event of Bos primigenius domestication in Italy? PLoS One 5:e15760.
21. Perego, et al (2010) The initial peopling of the Americas: a growing number of founding mitochondrial genomes from Beringia. Genome Res 20:1174.
22. Achilli, et al (2009) The multifaceted origin of taurine cattle reflected by the mitochondrial genome. PloS One 4:e5753.
23. Pala, et al (2009) Mitochondrial haplogroup U5b3: A distant echo of the Epipaleolithic in Italy and the legacy of the early Sardinians. Am J Hum Genet 84:814.
24. Perego, et al (2009) Distinctive paleo-Indian migration routes from Beringia marked by two rare mtdna haplogroups. Curr Biol 19:1.
25. Achilli, et al (2008) Mitochondrial genomes of extinct aurochs survive in domestic cattle. Curr Biol 18:R157.
26. Battaglia, et al (2008) Y-chromosomal evidence of the cultural diffusion of agriculture in Southeast Europe. Eur J Hum Genet 17:820.
27. La Morgia, et al (2008) Rare mtDNA variants in Leber hereditary optic neuropathy families with recurrence of myoclonus. Neurology 70:762.
28. Achilli, et al (2007) Mitochondrial DNA variation of modern Tuscans supports the Near Eastern origin of Etruscans. Am J Hum Genet 80:759.
29. Bandelt, et al (2007) Distorted mitochondrial DNA sequences in schizophrenic patients. Eur J Hum Genet 15:400.
30. Olivieri, et al (2007) Timing of a back-migration into Africa. Reply to Forster P. & Romano V. Science 316:51.
31. Carelli, et al (2006) Haplogroup effects and recombination of mitochondrial DNA: novel clues from the analysis of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy pedigrees. Am J Hum Genet 78:564.
32. Olivieri, et al (2006) The mtDNA legacy of the Levantine Early Upper Palaeolithic in Africa. Science 314:1767.
33. Achilli, et al (2005) Saami and Berbers - an unexpected mitochondrial DNA link. Am J Hum Genet 76:883.
34. Achilli, et al (2004) The molecular dissection of mtDNA haplogroup H confirms that the Franco-Cantabrian glacial refuge was a major source for the European gene pool. Am J Hum Genet 75:910.

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