Please report any queries concerning the funding data grouped in the sections named "Externally Awarded" or "Internally Disbursed" (shown on the profile page) to
your Research Finance Administrator. Your can find your Research Finance Administrator at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/finance/research/rs-contacts.php by entering your department
Please report any queries concerning the student data shown on the profile page to:
Email: portico-services@ucl.ac.uk
Help Desk: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ras/portico/helpdesk
Email: portico-services@ucl.ac.uk
Help Desk: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ras/portico/helpdesk
› More search options
Dr Stefano Bettinazzi
Room 109 Darwin Building,
UCL Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment
Gower Street
London
WC1E 6BT
Appointment
- Marie Sklodowska-Curie Research Fellow
- Genetics, Evolution & Environment
- Div of Biosciences
- Faculty of Life Sciences
Biography
My studies are based in both Italy and Canada. I received a bachelor's degree in Environmental sciences from University of Padova, a master's degree in Biology from University of Bologna and a PhD in Biological sciences from University of Montreal.
Following my PhD, I worked as research postdoc in Sophie Breton's lab (University of Montreal, Canada). In 2021, I was awarded a Marie Słodowska-Curie Fellowship to join Nick Lane's and Florencia Camus's labs (University College London, UK) as a postdoctoral research fellow.
Research Themes
See More
See LessResearch Summary
I am an evolutionary physiologist with a soft spot for mitochondria and cellular bioenergetics. I take advantage of different experimental models (yeast, bivalves, insects, fish and human cells) to explore:
i) the adaptive value of non-neutral mitochondrial DNA variations, including the functional role of supernumerary mitochondrial genes;
ii) the bioenergetics underlying sexual dimorphism and the sexual antagonistic impact of a uniparental inheritance of cytoplasmic organelles;
iii) the co-evolutionary dynamics between the mitochondrial and the nuclear genomes, including intergenomic conflicts (e.g. mitonuclear mismatch, heteroplasmy) and coadaptation to foster evolutionary innovations;
iv) how the interaction between genetic and environmental factors might determine the ability of animals to adapt to a fast-changing environment.
At UCL, I currently investigate the extent to which mitonuclear incompatibilities might impact local adaptation and hybrid breakdown given thermal and nutritional stress in natural population of Drosophila melanogaster.
Teaching Summary
I have teaching experience as invited lecturer for the course of Evolutionary genetics (BIOL0011) and as laboratory demonstrator for the courses of Animal physiology (BIO1634) and Comparative animal physiology 1 (BIO2620) and 2 (BIO2625).
2023: Invited lecturer, Evolutionary Genetics BIOL0011, UCL
2020: Lab Chief-demonstrator, Animal physiology, UdeM
2019: Lab demonstrator, Comparative animal physiology 1, UdeM
2019: Lab demonstrator, Animal physiology, UdeM
2018: Lab Chief-demonstrator, Comparative animal physiology 2, UdeM
2018: Lab demonstrator, Animal physiology, UdeM
2017: Lab Chief-demonstrator, Comparative animal physiology 1, UdeM
2017: Lab demonstrator, Animal physiology, UdeM
I have also co-supervised and/or mentored both undergraduate and graduate students:
2023-ongoing: Ariane Pouliot-Drouin (MSc student, UdeM). Project: Intergenomic epistasis and fitness
2022-ongoing: Arthur Combeaud (MSc, UCL). Project: Mitonuclear mismatch and dietary choices
2022: Ruben Holt, Ben Whitehead and Jane Liang (BSc, UCL). Project: Mitonuclear interactions and fitness
2021: Marie Levet (PhD, UdeM) and Vincent Melancon (BSc, UdeM). Project: Impact of endoparasite infection upon host bioenergetics
2021: Ariane Pouliot-Drouin and Thierry Niaison (BSc, UdeM). Project: Linking sperm mitochondria activity and paternal mitochondrial transmission
2021: Thierry Niaison (BSc, UdeM). Project: Impact of supernumerary human mitochondrial proteins upon mitochondrial functions
2019: Thierry Choquette (BSc, UdeM). Project: Mitochondrial membrane potential in DUI species
2018: Sugahendni Nadarajah (MSc, University of Pierre and Marie Curie) and Andréanne Dalpé (BSc, UdeM). Project: Importance of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism for sperm motility in DUI species
2017-2019: Georges Hraoui (MSc, UdeM). Project: Mitochondrial plasticity and thermal adaptation in endangered and invasive freshwater bivalves
2017: Andréanne Dalpé (BSc, UdeM). Project: Sperm mitochondrial metabolism in DUI species
2017: Laurence Lefebvre (BSc, UdeM). Project: Heteroplasmy in DUI species
