معرفی
Dr. Giulia Zancolli is a Marie-Curie Fellow at the Department of Ecology and Evolution within the Faculty of Biology and Medicine at the University of Lausanne. She leads multiple research projects focused on venom evolution and evo-devo mechanisms, including the Marie Curie project EVER (Evolution of Venom Regulation) and an SNSF-funded project pioneering venom evo-devo research. As country representative for Switzerland in the European Venom Network COST Action CA19144, she co-leads working group 4 on Web Resources.
Her educational background includes a PhD in Integrative Biology from the University of Würzburg (2010-2013), an MSc in Conservation and Animal Biodiversity from the University of Turin (2007-2009), and a BSc in Natural Sciences from the University of Turin (2003-2007).
Dr. Zancolli's research centers on the evolutionary origins and developmental mechanisms of venom systems across diverse animal lineages. She investigates how venom glands evolved from pre-existing structures through comparative transcriptomics, with particular focus on cone snails and spiders. Her work integrates molecular biology, evolutionary developmental biology, and ecological perspectives to understand how venom systems emerge as evolutionary novelties. She pioneered the field of 'venom evo-devo' through her research on spider venom apparatus development using advanced techniques like spatial transcriptomics and X-ray synchrotron imaging.
Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on comparative venom evolution, with particular emphasis on convergent molecular mechanisms across distantly related taxa. Her research demonstrates how different lineages have independently co-opted similar regulatory pathways for venom production while also developing lineage-specific innovations. The work increasingly incorporates spatial transcriptomics and developmental approaches to understand the morphogenesis of venom systems.
- H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (2019-present)
- E-COST EUVEN Virtual Mobility Grant (2021)
- EMBO Short-Term Fellowship (2017)
- Young Investigators Travel Award from Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution (2016)
- Santander Early Career Researcher Scholarship (2016)
Dr. Zancolli actively supervises junior researchers, including serving as Master thesis supervisor at the University of Lausanne since 2022 and First-Step project supervisor in 2020. Her current research is supported by significant grants including an SNSF COST Project Grant (CHF 278,232, 2022-2026) and a ProFemmes Grant (CHF 100,000, 2022-2023). She collaborates extensively with researchers across Europe including Maria Vittoria Modica, Nicolas Puillandre, Aida Verdes, Yehu Moran, and Alistair McGregor.
Her research is conducted within the Robinson-Rechavi group at the Department of Ecology and Evolution, with strong connections to the European Venom Network. She utilizes advanced techniques including spatial transcriptomics (10X Genomics Visium), single-cell RNA-Seq, X-ray synchrotron imaging, and genomic manipulations through RNAi to investigate venom system development and evolution. Her lab has developed novel approaches for studying long, convoluted structures like cone snail venom ducts through innovative sample preparation techniques.
