Lisa Signorile

Curriculum Vitae:

• 2009-present: PhD student, Imperial College London and Institute of Zoology.
• 2007-2009: Secondary school science teacher for the Italian Ministry of Education.
• 2006: Assistant Ecologist for Catherine Bickmore Associates, working on an amphibians relocation project and related surveys.
• 2005: Small Mammal Scientist for Operation Wallacea, El Paraiso Valley, Honduras.
• 2003-2004: MSc in Forest Protection and Conservation Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College London.
• 2001: Qualified teacher status as Science teacher.
• 1997-2000: Assistant Ecologist for a LIFE European Project, studying the distribution and spreading of the last packs of wolves in northern Apulia, Italy.
• 1989-1994: Laurea in Biological Sciences at Universita’ degli Studi di Bari.
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Research Interests:

I am mostly interested in any aspect of small mammal’s ecology, biodiversity and genetics and on invasive species spreading mechanisms.

My PhD project aims to identify patterns in the population genetics of the American grey squirrel in Europe, where the species was introduced since the 19th century and to relate its genetic diversity to its ability to spread and survive in different regions. This species is considered one of the worst 100 alien species across the world and characterization of the genetic structure of this alien invader can contribute to a better understanding of population dynamics and impacts on the ecosystem. Knowledge of grey squirrel population-genetic structure might also help managers to understand to what extent control operations affect populations’ genetic diversity.

I have already collected extensive DNA samples from more than 50 different populations dwelling in England, Scotland, Italy and Ireland and I am drawing a genetic map of these populations to detect spreading patterns and to track back the origin of newly introduced populations or individuals.

Publications:

Signorile, L., (2012) An unusual, new larval host-plant for Cacoecimorpha pronubana (Hübner, 1799) (Lepidoptera:Tortricidae). Entomologist’s Gazette 63: 49–51.

Signorile, A.L., Evans, J. (2007) Environmental damage caused by the American grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) on agricultural and forestry crops in Piedmont, Italy. Forestry 80(1): 89-98.

Lopalco, P. L. Signorile, A.L. Germinario, C. Prato, R. Quarto, M. Barbuti, S. (1998) Adult-onset myopia among university students. Igiene Moderna 110(5): 487-494.
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Links:

www.lorologiaiomiope.com
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Supervisors:

I am jointly supervised by Dan Reuman (Imperial College), Chris Carbone and Jinliang Wang (Institute of Zoology), with the external supervision of Peter Lurz and Sandro Bertolino (University of Turin).
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Funding:

I am funded by a NERC/CASE studentship.
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Collaborators:

I have being granted cooperation for my samples collection from England by the Forestry Commission, Red Squirrel Survival Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Westmorland Red Squirrel Group, Penrith and District Red Squirrel group, Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Red Squirrel Survival Trust, City of London Corporation, Cornwall Red Squirrel Committee; from Scotland by the Forestry Commission Scotland, Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels, Fife Red Squirrel Group, Red Squirrels in South Scotland Project, Mr Hugh Rose, Esq.; from Northern Ireland by Queen's University Belfast, NIEA Wildlife Team, Northern Ireland Forest Service; from the Republic of Ireland: Waterford Institute of Technology, National Botanic Gardens, Trinity college Dublin; from Italy by Insubria University, Fondazione Ordine Mauriziano, Lady di Castelbarco, Mr de Maistre, Esq., Mr Gautier, Esq.