IVANNA H. TOMASCO

Departamento de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias

Universidad de la República

Iguá 4225, Montevideo 11400. Uruguaya

ivanna@fcien.edu.uy; Ivanna.tomasco@gmail.com

https://sites.google.com/view/ivannahtomasco

EDUCATION:

    Ph.D.    Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas  2005-2010*. 

    M.S.    Magister en Ciencias Biológicas 1999-2003*

    A.B.    Licenciatura en Ciencias Biológicas  1992-1997*

(*) Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Evolutionary biology, with emphasis on applying molecular data to answer evolutionary questions in South American species. The main line is on systematics and phylogeography of tucu-tucus (rodents of the genus Ctenomys) and molecular adaptations to the underground niche of octodontoid rodents. Also work on other groups such as bats, spiders, crustaceans, bees and their parasites, farm animals.

CURRENT POSITIONS:

Assistant Professor (full-time position). Laboratorio de Evolucion, Departamento de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República (since 2021). 

Member of the National System of Researchers, ANII, Uruguay (since 2009)

Researcher, PEDECIBA (Program for the Development of Basic Sciences, Universidad de la República-Ministry of Education and Culture, Uruguay) (since 2011)

Associated Researcher, PIDBA (Argentina Biodiversity Research Program) (since 2018)

Member of Academic Committee of Latin American School of Evolution (since 2019)

Associate editor: “Mastozoología Neotropical”, “Enseñanza de las Ciencias Biológicas”, “Conexão ciência”.

TEACHING:

Undergraduate courses taught (Universidad de la República):

* Evolution (every semester, ~ 60 students), about 6 Teorical and some Practical lessons. 

* “Introduction to Biology-seminars” (~ 5 students), Teorical and Lab lessons.

* Invited teacher in other courses in Universidad de la República: Introducción a la Biología, Paleontología para Geólogos, Principios de Biología Animal, Sistemática, Biogeografía, Psicología Evolutiva, historia del pensamiento sobre el desarrollo.

Graduate courses taught. Invited to teach in several courses: Sistemática Filogenéica, Filogenia Molecular, Evolución, Temas actuales en evolución, Tópicos de zoología. 

ADVISING AND MENTORING ACTIVITIES:

Mentor initiation research projects (5 completed, 12 undergraduate students), undergraduate theses (13 completed), and graduate theses (3 Master and 1 doctoral theses) and one postdoctoral Fellows.

SERVICE ACTIVITIES:

2019-date. Uruguayan chapter of (Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World). Member of director Committee: secretarian

2006-2007. Sociedad Uruguaya de Biociencias: 2006-2007 Member of director Commitee

2013-2014. Sociedad Zoológica del Uruguay: Vice-President 

Associate editor: “Mastozoología Neotropical”, “Enseñanza de las Ciencias Biológicas”, “Conexão ciência”.

PUBLICATIONS:

Journal articles (10 selected, out of 45, peer-reviewed)

Albo MJ, Pávon-Pelaez C,  Martínez Villar M, Buzatto BA, Tomasco IH 2023. Stressful environments favor deceptive alternative mating tactics to become dominant. BMC Biology 21, 162. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-023-01664-5

Sánchez TR, Tomasco IH*, Díaz MM, Barquez RM.  2023. Review of three neglected species of Ctenomys (Rodentia: Ctenomyidae) from Argentina. Journal of Mammalogy. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad001

Tomasco IH*, Giorello F, Boullosa N, Feijoo M, Lanzone C, Lessa EP. 2022. Contribution of incomplete lineage sorting and introgression in the fast-evolving genus Ctenomys (Rodentia, Ctenomyidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 176: 107593

Waller A, Verdi A, González E, Tomasco IH. 2022. Genus Hyalella (Crustacea, Amphipoda) in the South American humid pampas: molecular diversity and two provisional new species. Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny, 80: 2061-278.

Pandulli I, Tomasco IH, Albo MJ. 2021. The handsome liar: male spiders benefit from offering worthless gifts increasing mating duration. Ethology, 128(3): 215-222 https://doi.org/10.1111/eth.13258

Brook F, Tomasco IH, González B, Martin GM. 2021. A new species of Ctenomys (Rodentia: Ctenomyidae) from Patagonia related to C. sociabilis. Journal of Mammalian Evolution, 29:237–258 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-021-09570-9

Yadró CA, Rodríguez A, Pérez AM, Pérez A, Invernizzi C, Tomasco IH. 2020. Cuban honeybees: significant differentiation from European honeybees in incomplete isolation. Journal of Apicultural Research, 60(3), 75-384. DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2020.1841460

Mendoza Y, Tomasco IH, Antúnez K, Castelli L, Branchiccela B, Santos E, Invernizzi C. 2020. Unraveling Honey Bee–Varroa destructor Interaction: Multiple Factors Involved in Differential Resistance between Two Uruguayan Populations. Veterinary Sciences, 7(3): 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci7030116

Tomasco IH, Lessa EP. 2011. The evolution of mitochondrial genomes in subterranean caviomoph rodents: adaptation against a background of purifying selection. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 61: 64 – 70.

Tomasco IH, EP Lessa. 2007. Phylogeography of the tuco-tuco: mtDNA variation and its implication for chromosomal differentiation. Pp. 859-882 in The quintessential naturalist: honoring the life and legacy of Oliver P. Pearson (Kelt, D. A., E. Lessa, J. A. Salazar-Bravo, and J. L. Patton, eds.). University of California Publications in Zoology.