Nadir Alvarez

Nadir Alvarez is a Full Professor at the Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne (UNIL). He holds a Master's in Evolutionary Biology (University of Montpellier) and a joint PhD from the Universities of Montpellier and Neuchâtel. His research focuses on evolutionary mechanisms underlying ecological diversification and species adaptation, particularly through genomic and museomics approaches analyzing historical/ancient DNA. He has held roles including Chief Curator at the Geneva Natural History Museum and Director of the Naturéum in Vaud. His work combines population genomics, environmental DNA (eDNA), and museum specimen analysis to study biodiversity dynamics. Key contributions include developing methods for capturing nuclear environmental DNA and exploring genetic responses to climate change. He serves as Director of the Naturéum, emphasizing applied conservation through genomic insights.

Education & Career

• 2001: Master's, University of Montpellier
• 2004: PhD, Universities of Montpellier and Neuchâtel
• 2010–2017: Assistant Professorships at UNIL and University of Neuchâtel
• 2024–Present: Full Professor, UNIL

Research Interests

• Museomics and ancient DNA analysis
• Ecological and evolutionary responses to environmental changes
• Population genomics of plants and insects
• Conservation genomics for biodiversity management

Recent Article TrendsRecent work emphasizes genomic approaches in biodiversity monitoring, combining eDNA and museum specimens to study population dynamics and adaptation. Topics include glacial refugia effects on megafauna, postglacial radiations in whitefish, and genetic strategies for conserving endangered species like Phengaris butterflies.

As Director of the Naturéum, he bridges academic research with public engagement in natural sciences, promoting applied conservation through genomic insights.