People

 
 





Check HERE the

JOB OFFERS

for Post-Docs, Ph.D students, Masters students, & Technicians


  1. •Michel C. Milinkovitch
    Head of the LANE

  2. •Nicolas Di-Poi
    Maître Assistant

  3. •Athanasia C. Tzika
    Post-Doc

  4. •Suzanne Saenko
    Post-Doc

  5. •Flavia Nunes
    Post-Doc


  1. •Sophie Montandon
    PhD Student

  2. •Liana Manukian
    PhD Student

  3. •Michel Bessant
    PhD Student

  4. •Đorđe Grbić
    PhD Student


  1. •Corinne  Matthey
    Secretary

  2. •Adrien Debry
    Technician

  3. •Colin Vion
    Technician

  4. •Rosa  Afonso
    Technician


  1. •Morgane Macheret
    Master student

  2. •Clélia Memmi
    Master student

  3. •Somasekhar Jayaram
    Master student



 

Pr. Michel C. Milinkovitch (PI)

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. michel.milinkovitch [at] unige.ch; Tel. +41 22-379-6785; Fax. +41 22-379-6795.

  2. ‣PhD (1994) jointly from the Dept. of Ecology & Evolution at Yale University, USA (with J. R. Powell), and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium (with G. Vassart & J. Pasteels). Post-Doc with Michel Georges in the dept. of Veterinary Medicine at the ‘Université de Liège’ (Belgium). I have been Associate then Full Professor at the ULB between 1996 and 2008. I am now Full Professor at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, where I moved in 2008 and founded the Laboratory of Artificial & Natural Evolution (LANE).
    My research interests integrate Evolutionary Developmental Genetics (Evo-Devo), phylogenomics, and the interface between physics and biology.

  3. ‣5 selected recent (>2010) publications:

  4. ✓Brykczynska, Tzika, Rodriguez & Milinkovitch
    Contrasted evolution of the vomeronasal receptor repertoires in Mammals and Squamate reptiles
    Genome Biology & Evolution 5: 389-401 (2013)

  5. ✓Milinkovitch, Manukyan, Debry, Di-Poï, Martin, Singh, Lambert, Zwicker
    Crocodile Head Scales Are Not Developmental Units But Emerge from Physical Cracking
    Science 339, 78 (2013)

  6. ✓Tzika A.C., Helaers R., Schramm G. & M. C. Milinkovitch
    Reptilian-transcriptome v1.0, a glimpse in the brain transcriptome of five divergent Sauropsida lineages and the phylogenetic position of turtles
    EvoDevo 2011, 2: 19

  7. ✓Milinkovitch, Helaers, Depiereux, Tzika, & Gabaldon
    2X genomes - depth does matter
    Genome Biology, 11 (2): R16 (2010)

  8. ✓Helaers R. & M.C. Milinkovitch
    MetaPIGA v2.0: maximum likelihood large phylogeny estimation using the metapopulation genetic algorithm and other stochastic heuristics
    BMC Bioinformatics 2010, 11: 379




POST-DOCS


Dr. Athanasia Tzika (Αθανασία)

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. athanasia [dot] tzika [at] unige.ch; Tel. +41 22-379-6775.

  2. ‣I graduated in June 2003 from the Aristoteleion University of Thessaloniki, Greece (M.Sc. in Biology). I performed my PhD (October 2003-March 2008) under the supervision of Michel Milinkovitch at the ULB. I am now a Post-Doc in the LANE.
    My research interests include ‘classical’ evolutionary biology’ (phylogenetics & conservation/population genetics) as well as ‘Evolutionary Developmental biology’ (Evo-Devo). I am aslo heavily involved in the development of bioinformatic tools (such as the MANTiS application system). For my post-doc, I am investigating: (i) the molecular mechanisms associated to the development of convergent mammalian characters, and (ii) the evolution of the reptilian transcriptome and proteome.

  3. ‣3 selected recent publications:

  4. ✓Brykczynska*, Tzika*, Rodriguez & Milinkovitch  (*=co-first authors)
    Contrasted evolution of the vomeronasal receptor repertoires in Mammals and Squamate reptiles
    Genome Biology & Evolution 5: 389-401 (2013)

  5. ✓Tzika A.C., Helaers R., Schramm G. & M. C. Milinkovitch
    Reptilian-transcriptome v1.0, a glimpse in the brain transcriptome of five divergent Sauropsida lineages and the phylogenetic position of turtles
    EvoDevo 2011, 2: 19

  6. ✓Tzika, Helaers, Van de Peer & Milinkovitch
    MANTiS: a phylogenetic framework for multi-species genome comparisons
    Bioinformatics, 24 (2):151-157 (2008)


Dr. Nicolas Di-Poi

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. Nicolas [dot] Di-Poi [at] unige.ch ; Tel. 41 22-379-3640.

  2. ‣I obtained my PhD (2000-2004) at the University of Lausanne, working on epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in mouse skin, both in vitro and in vivo. I then performed a Post-Doc (2005-2009) in the Denis Duboule’s laboratory at the University of Geneva (Switzerland) investigating Hox gene function, regulation and evolution in different vertebrate species including mice, lizards, and snakes.
    I joined the LANE in December 2009 to study evolutionary developmental biology in reptiles.

  3. ‣3 selected recent publications:

  4. ✓Milinkovitch, Manukyan, Debry, Di-Poï, Martin, Singh, Lambert, Zwicker
    Crocodile Head Scales Are Not Developmental Units But Emerge from Physical Cracking
    Science 339, 78 (2013)

  5. ✓Di-Poï, Montoya-Burgos, Miller, Pourquié, Milinkovitch & Duboule
    Changes in Hox genes’ structure and function during the evolution of the squamate body plan
    Nature, 464: 99-103 (2010)

  6. ✓Di-Poi, Montoya-Burgos & Duboule
    Atypical relaxation of structural constraints in Hox gene clusters of the green anole lizard
    Genome Research, 19(4): 602-610 (2009)

Dr. Suzanne Saenko (Сюзанна)

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. Siouzanna [dot] Saenko [at] unige.ch ; Tel. 41 22-379-3059.

  2. ‣I studied Biology at the University of Leiden (The Netherlands). I then performed my PhD in Evolutionary Developmental Biology at the Institute of Biology in Leiden under the supervision of Paul Brakefield and Patrícia Beldade (2005-2010). During my PhD, I studied the genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying the origin and diversification of novel traits. As a model, I used colour patterns on butterfly wings.
    I joined the LANE in January 2011 to study evolutionary developmental biology in reptiles.

  3. ‣3 selected recent publications:

  4. ✓Saenko, Brakefield & Beldade
    Single locus affects embryonic segment polarity and multiple aspects of an adult evolutionary novelty
    BMC Biology, 8: 111 (2010)

  5. ✓Beldade, Saenko, Pul & Long.
    A gene-based linkage map for Bicyclus anynana butterflies allows for a comprehensive analysis of synteny with the lepidopteran reference genome
    PLoS Genetics 5, e1000366 (2009)

  6. ✓Saenko, French, Brakefield & Beldade
    Conserved developmental processes and the formation of evolutionary novelties: examples from butterfly wings
    Phil Trans R Soc B, 363: 1549–1555 (2008)


Dr. Flavia Nunes

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. flavia [dot] nunes [at] unige.ch; Tel. +41 22-379-3634.

  2. ‣I completed both my MSc (July 2004) and PhD (July 2009) at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, USA.  I did my Masters in paleoceanography and for my PhD, I studied biodiversity and long-distance connectivity in corals whose distribution span the Atlantic. I did a postdoc at the University of Rennes (France) during 2009-2010, looking at the response of microbial communities to controlled changes in physical and chemical environment.  During this postdoc I also worked on microbial communities associated with white band disease in Caribbean corals.
    I joined the LANE in February 2011 to study the Evo-Devo of selected marsupial characters.

  3. ‣3 selected recent publications:

  4. ✓Nunes, Norris, & Knowlton
    Long distance dispersal and connectivity in amphi-Atlantic corals at regional and basin scales
    PLoS One 6: e22298

  5. ✓Nunes, Norris, & Knowlton
    Implications of isolation and low genetic diversity in peripheral populations of an amphi-Atlantic coral
    Molecular Ecology 18, 4283-4297 (2009)

  6. ✓Nunes & Norris
    Abrupt reversal in ocean overturning during the Palaeocene/Eocene warm period
    Nature, 439, 60-63 (2006)




PhD STUDENTS


Sophie Montandon

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. Sophie.Montandon [at] unige.ch; Tel. +41 22-379-6779.

  2. ‣I completed my Master in Milinkovitch’s lab on the convergent development of epidermal appendages in mammals (with Dr. Athanasia Tzika) and I started in April 2011 a PhD on the same topic.

  3. ‣selected recent publications:

  4. ✓None yet ^_^


Liana Manukyan (ლიანა)

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. Liana.Manukyan [at] unige.ch; Tel. +41 22-379-3106.

  2. ‣I started a PhD on modeling variation & complexity in animal traits in May 2011, right after finishing my Master in Computer Science at ETH Zurich. Before coming to Switzerland I studied Physics at Tbilisi State University, Georgia.

  3. ‣selected recent publications:

  4. ✓Milinkovitch, Manukyan, Debry, Di-Poï, Martin, Singh, Lambert, Zwicker
    Crocodile Head Scales Are Not Developmental Units But Emerge from Physical Cracking
    Science 339, 78 (2013)


Michel Bessant

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. Michel.Bessant [at] unige.ch; Tel. +41 22-379-3632.

  2. ‣I obtained my Degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering (1995) at ‘PolyTech Nantes’ (France).  I worked 15 years in the industry (Norway & Switzerland) and developed expertise in hardware, electronics, automation, embedded processing, software control, optoelectronics, sensors and MEMS. I joined the LANE in March 2012 for a PhD, and will develop hardware and electronic control systems for the acquisition and analysis of high-resolution 3D geometry and texture of animals.

  3. ‣selected recent publications:

  4. ✓None yet ^_^


Đorđe Grbić

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. Dorde.Grbic [at] unige.ch; Tel. +41 22-379-6778.

  2. ‣I graduated in July of 2011 at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing. My Masters degree research project was on the use of heuristics and meta-heuristic applied to the problem of university exam timetabling. I joined the LANE in April 2012 for developing meta-heuristics for phylogeny inference in the framework of the MetaPIGA software.

  3. ‣selected recent publications:

  4. ✓None yet ^_^


PhD positions available

  1. ‣Check here for potential PhD positions opened for biologists, computer scientists, physicists and mathematicians.




ADMINISTRATIVE & TECHNICAL STAFF


Corinne Matthey, Secretary (part-time)

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. Corinne [dot] Matthey-Ebener [at] unige.ch;
    Tel. +41 22-379 6785; Fax. +41 22-379-6795.

  2. ‣After business studies, I worded in the administrative departments of various companies in finance, pharmaceutical, and luxury jewelry industries. Since 1997, I am working in the department of Genetics & Evolution (previously, département of Zoologie) at the University of Geneva.


Adrien Debry, technician

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. adrien [dot] debry [at] unige.ch; Tel. +41 22-379-6902.

  2. ‣I obtained by Bachelor Degree (Agro-industries & biotechnologies) in 2007 and joined the LANE when it was founded in 2008. I have always been fascinated by herpetology and I have bred multiple species of reptiles. In addition to my work at the bench (histology, etc), I am responsible for managing and breeding reptilian species in the LANE.

  3. ‣3 selected recent publications:

  4. ✓Milinkovitch, Manukyan, Debry, Di-Poï, Martin, Singh, Lambert, Zwicker
    Crocodile Head Scales Are Not Developmental Units But Emerge from Physical Cracking
    Science 339, 78 (2013)

  5. ✓Debry A. Biologie et maintenance en captivité de la tortue à nez de cochon Carettochelys insculpta
    ReptilMag 41: 26–30 (2010)

  6. ✓Debry A. Elevage et reproduction en captivité du cinosterne odorant, Sternotherus odoratus
    Manouria 8 (26) Mars 2005

Colin Vion, technician

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. Colin [dot] Vion [at] unige.ch; Tel. +41 22-379-3022

  2. ‣After a Master in Ecology, Biodiversity & Evolution (2009, Pierre & Marie Curie University, France), I worked 2 years as an animal keeper in a zoo associated with the French National Museum of Natural History.  I joined the LANE in May 2012 to manage animal colonies, especially reptilian species which are a long time passion. I also assist researchers in their work.

  3. ‣3 selected recent publications:

  4. ✓None yet ^_^


Rosa Afonso, technician

  1. ‣Contacts: Tel. +41 22 37 93 600; Fax. +41 22-379-6795.

  2. ‣I joined the LANE in 2009 and I am involved in the management, care and breeding of mammalian species.




MASTER STUDENTS


Asier Ullate Agote

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. ullatea0 [at] etu.unige.ch

  2. ‣I have achieved my degrees in Biology & Biochemistry at the University of Navarra (Spain). I am now in the Master in Biology (orientation Bioinformatics) at the University of Geneva. I started in October 2012 my bioinformatic research project in Milinkovitch’s lab, working under the supervision of Dr. Athanasia Tzika:  ‘In-silico whole genome comparisons for the analysis of genome, transcriptome, and interactome evolution’.

  3. ‣selected recent publications:

  4. ✓None yet ^_^


Nadezhda Guevara

  1. ‣Contacts: Email. guevara0 [at] etu.unige.ch

  2. ‣I graduated in Biology from the Universidad Mayor de San Simón in Bolivia and gained some experience at the Molecular Biology lab in the CIFP - Simón Patiño Foundiation. Now I'm in the Genetics Development & Evolution master program at University of Geneva and I just started a research project  (evolution of colors in reptiles) in Michel Milinkovitch’s lab under the supervision of Dr Suzane Saenko.

  3. ‣selected recent publications:

  4. ✓None yet ^_^


Master positions available

  1. ‣Master positions are opened for biologists, computer scientists, physicists and mathematicians.







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