Jorge Rocha

Biography

"I am an Associate Professor at the Department of Biology of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, where I teach courses in human biology, evolution and genetics. I carried out most of my research work at the Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), where I led the Genetics, Evolution and Pathology group, before joining CIBIO-InBIO in the end of 2010 to create the Human Evolutionary Genetics group and fulfill my dream of studying and undertaking fieldwork among African populations. My initially steps in human genetics led me to focus on specific genes rather than on populations. In particular, I devoted a substantial part of my work to the evolutionary history and disease implications of variation in human α1-antitrypsin and related genes from the Serine Protease Inhibitor (SERPIN) family. More recently I developed an interest in genes associated with human adaptation and became involved in the study of the evolution of lactose tolerance, resistance to disease and skin and eye pigmentation. Apart from my work on specific genes, I am increasingly involved in studying the history of African populations. This interest started with São Tomé and Príncipe archipelago, formed by two tiny plantation islands located at the heart of the Gulf of Guinea, where I am presently studying the relationship between genetic variation and differentiation of local creole languages. I am also very interested in the genetic structure of the highly admixed Cape Verde Archipelago, which provides a unique opportunity for understanding the genetic basis of complex traits, including pigmentation. Moreover, I am involved in interdisciplinary studies of language and genetic variation in continental areas like Angola and Mozambique, which are crucial to evaluate alternative models for the dispersal of Bantu-speaking peoples and their interaction with indigenous populations."

Research Interest

More recently I developed an interest in genes associated with human adaptation and became involved in the study of the evolution of lactose tolerance, resistance to disease and skin and eye pigmentation.