Catarina Lopes Pinho

Biography

"I am mostly interested in combining different sources of information to gain new insights on the mechanisms that lead to the isolation of populations, genetic differentiation and, ultimately, to speciation. As a PhD student, I focused my research on a complex group of Iberian and North African endemic lizards, Podarcis. This species complex provides a good framework to investigate the processes of reproductive isolation and speciation and, at the same time, to test hypotheses about the influence of historical climatic changes or geological phenomena in shaping the present-day genetic diversity. We have shown that the various forms within this group are differentiated despite having poorly defined genetic boundaries and remaining porous to gene flow, highlighting the gradual and continuous nature of speciation. I am now starting a new research project aiming at unraveling the processes that occur on contact zones between different species.I am also interested in developing mathematical models for biological systems. I am currently pursuing a second college degree – in mathematics, with a minor in statistics and models – to develop the necessary skills. I am also committed to fight for better work conditions for researchers – I am part of the direction board of ABIC (the Portuguese scientific grant-holders association), which strives for replacing fellowships and grants by work contracts and giving grant-holders the same rights as other workers"

Research Interest

Isolation of populations, genetic differentiation and, ultimately, to speciation