Phd in GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

email: beniamino.trombetta@uniroma1.it
phone: 0649912852
building: Genetica (CU022)
room: 2-14

CURRENT POSITION:
Associate Professor (SSD: BIO/18), Department of Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin , Sapienza - University of Rome,

EDUCATION:
2005: Summa cum Laude Degree in Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy;
2009: PhD in Molecular Genetics and Molecular Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Since 2019: Associate Professor SSD: BIO/18, Department of Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin , Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
2012-2019: Researcher SSD: BIO/18, Department of Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin , Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
2008-2012: Post-doc fellow, Department of Biology and Biotechnology C. Darwin , Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
2005-2008: Ph.D. student in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. 2003-2005: Undergraduate internship at the molecular phylogeny lab of the Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.

ISTITUTIONAL EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES:
2012-2017: Professor of "Molecular evolution: from the genome to the population" (3CFU) degree in Genetics and Molecular Biology. University of Rome Sapienza (in Italian).
Since 2016: Professor of Human Genetics (6 CFU) degree in Genetics and Molecular Biology (international degree - in English). University of Rome Sapienza.
Since 2016: Professor of the module of Computational Genomics module (3 CFU) for the course of "Genetics and Computational Genomics" degree in Bioinformatics (international degree - in English). University of Rome - Sapienza.
Since 2016. Faculty Member of the PhD Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.

LINES OF RESEARCH:
Research interests mainly concern different aspects of the human genetic diversity and evolution. Specific projects:
- Analysis of the Y-chromosome genetic variation in human populations using classical and NGS techniques. The study is aimed at inferring evolutionary events occurred in the past in our species.
- Analysis of the dynamics of gene conversion in the evolution of paralogous sequences in the human genome.
- Analysis of the non-pathological genetic variation of the human genome to solve forensic genetic issues.
- Study of the role of natural selection in shaping the genetic variability of the human genome.
- aDNA analysis: genetic analysis of ancient populations of central Italy.
- Computational genomics and bioinformatics

BIBLIOMETRIC INDICATORS (March, 2023):
Orcid ID: 0000-0001-8245-9437
Scopus Author ID: 19639324000
Total cites = 849 (Scopus); 1395 (Google Scholar) H-index = 18 (Scopus); 18 (Google Scholar)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
- He was reviewer for several national and international research projects.
- He is member of the editorial board of the journal Frontiers in Genetics (I.F. = 3.891) and of the journal Frontiers in Plant Science (I.F. = 4.455) with the title of Review Editor for the Evolutionary and Population Genetics section.
- Referee for several international journals including: American Journal of Human Biology, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Forensic Science International - Genetics, Human Biology, Global Ecology and Biogeography, Molecular Biology and Evolution, Frontiers in Genetics.

DISSEMINATION OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE:
Since 2014. He is the head for the dissemination of scientific knowledge at the Department of Biology and Biotechnology of the University of Rome - Sapienza.
2016. Cruciani F and Trombetta B "migrazioni e mutazioni genetiche" for the Encyclopedia of Bioethics and Juridical Science published by "Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane". Volume VIII pag. 542- 554.
2014. Trombetta B Kary Mullis: il ballerino nudo che ha cambiato la scienza in un fine settimana , seminar for the European Researchers' Week
2011. Trombetta B, Colonna FT. Le tappe della nostra storia. DARWIN, p. 52-57, ISSN: 1824-2448.

Relevant Publications of the last ten years 2010-2020

1. Della Rocca C, Trombetta B, Barni F, D'Atanasio E, Hajiesmaeil M, Berti A, Hadi S, Cruciani F.
(2022) Improving discrimination capacity through rapidly mutating Y-STRs in structured populations
from the African continent. Forensic Sci Int Genet. 61:102755.
2. Bonito M, Ravasini F, Novelletto A, D'Atanasio E, Cruciani F*, Trombetta B*. (2022) Disclosing
complex mutational dynamics at a Y chromosome palindrome evolving through intra- and interchromosomal
gene conversion. Hum Mol Genet. A3:ddac144. * co-corresponding authors
3. Bonito M, D'Atanasio E, Ravasini F, Cariati S, Finocchio A, Novelletto A, Trombetta B*, Cruciani
F*. (2021) New insights into the evolution of human Y chromosome palindromes through mutation
and gene conversion. Hum Mol Genet. 30:2272-2285. * co-corresponding authors
4. Bonito M, D'Atanasio E, Trombetta B, Cannone F, Berti A, Cruciani F. (2021) Identification and
molecular characterisation of an unusually short allele at the SE33 (ACTBP2) locus resulting in a
putative tri-allelic pattern at a flanking marker. Forensic Sci Int Genet. 54:102523.
5. Ravasini F, D Atanasio E, Bonito M, Bonucci B, Della Rocca C, Berti A, Trombetta B, Cruciani F.
(2021) Sequence Read Depth Analysis of a Monophyletic Cluster of Y Chromosomes Characterized
by Structural Rearrangements in the AZFc Region Resulting in DYS448Deletion and DYF387S1
Duplication. Front Genet 12:1-8.
6. Della Rocca C, Cannone F, D'Atanasio E, Bonito M, Anagnostou P, Russo G, Barni F, Alladio E,
Destro-Bisol G, Trombetta B, Berti A, Cruciani F. (2020). Ethnic fragmentation and degree of
urbanization strongly affect the discrimination power of Y-STR haplotypes in central Sahel. Forensic
Sci Int Genet 49:102374.
7. D'Atanasio E, Trionfetti F, Bonito M, Sellitto D, Coppa A, Berti A, Trombetta B, Cruciani F. (2020).
Y Haplogroup Diversity of the Dominican Republic: Reconstructing the Effect of the European
Colonization and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trades. Genome Biol Evol 12:1579-1590.
8. Grugni V, Raveane A, Ongaro L, Battaglia V, Trombetta B, Colombo G, Capodiferro MR, Olivieri
A, Achilli A, Perego UA, Motta J, Tribaldos M, Woodward SR, Ferretti L, Cruciani F, Torroni A,
Semino O. (2019). Analysis of the human Y-chromosome haplogroup Q characterizes ancient
population movements in Eurasia and the Americas. BMC 17:3.
9. D'Atanasio E, Iacovacci G, Pistillo R, Bonito M, Dugoujon JM, Moral P, El-Chennawi F, Melhaoui
M, Baali A, Cherkaoui M, Sellitto D, Trombetta B, Berti A, Cruciani F. (2019). Rapidly mutating
Y-STRs in rapidly expanding populations: Discrimination power of the Yfiler Plus multiplex in
northern Africa. Forensic Sci Int Genet 38:185-194.
10. D'Atanasio E, Bonito M, Iacovacci G, Berti A, Trombetta B, Cruciani F. (2019). Identification and
molecular characterisation of an AMEL-X null allele due to an Alu insertion. Forensic Sci Int Genet
38:e1-e4.
11. Finocchio A, Trombetta B, Messina F, D'Atanasio E, Akar N, Loutradis A, Michalodimitrakis EI,
Cruciani F, Novelletto A. (2028). A finely resolved phylogeny of Y chromosome Hg J illuminates
the processes of Phoenician and Greek colonizations in the Mediterranean. Sci Rep. 8:7465.
12. D Atanasio E*, Trombetta B*, Bonito M, Finocchio A, Di Vito G, Seghizzi M, Romano R, Russo
G, Paganotti GM, Watson E, Coppa A, Anagnostou P, Dugoujon JM, Moral P, Sellitto D, Novelletto
A, Cruciani F. (2018). The peopling of the last Green Sahara disclosed by high-coverage
resequencing of trans-Saharan patrilineages. *These authors contributed equally to this work.
Genome Research 19:20.
13. Serventi P, Panicucci C, Bodega R, De Fanti S, Sarno S, Fondevila Alvarez M, Brisighelli F,
Trombetta B, Ferri G, Vazzana A, Delpino C, Gruppioni G, Luiselli D, E. Cilli E. (2018). Iron Age
Italic population genetics: the Piceni from Novilara (8th-7th century BC). Ann Hum Biol 45:34-43.
14. Trombetta B*,D Atanasio E,Cruciani F*.(2017).PatternsofInter-ChromosomalGene Conversion on
the Male-Specific Region of the Human Y Chromosome. * Co- corresponding authors. Front Genet
8:54.
15. Trombetta B, Cruciani F. (2017). Y chromosome palindromes and gene conversion. Human
Genetics 136:605-619.
16. Iacovacci G, D'Atanasio E, Marini O, Coppa A, Sellitto D, Trombetta B, Berti A, Cruciani F. (2017).
Forensic data and microvariant sequence characterization of 27 Y- STR loci analyzed in four Eastern
African countries. Forensic Sci Int Genet 27:123-131. 5
17. Trombetta B*, Fantini G, D Atanasio E, Sellitto D, Cruciani F*. (2016). Evidence of extensive nonallelic
gene conversion among LTR elements in the human genome. * Co- corresponding authors.
Scientific Reports 6: 28710.
18. Trombetta B, D'Atanasio E, Massaia A, Myres NM, Scozzari R, Cruciani F, Novelletto A. (2015).
Regional Differences in the Accumulation of SNPs on the Male-Specific Portion of the Human Y
Chromosome Replicate Autosomal Patterns: Implications for Genetic Dating. PLoS One 10:
e0134646.
19. Trombetta B, D'Atanasio E, Massaia A, Ippoliti M, Coppa A, Candilio F, Coia V, Russo G,
Dugoujon JM, Moral P, Akar N, Sellitto D, Valesini G, Novelletto A, Scozzari R, Cruciani F. (2015).
Phylogeographic Refinement and Large Scale Genotyping of Human Y Chromosome Haplogroup E
Provide New Insights into the Dispersal of Early Pastoralists in the African Continent. Genome
Biology and Evolution 7:1940-1950.
20. Trombetta B, Sellitto D, Scozzari R, Cruciani F. (2014). Inter- and intraspecies phylogenetic
analyses reveal extensive X-Y gene conversion in the evolution of gametologous sequences of human
sex chromosomes. Molecular Biology and Evolution 31:2108-2123.
21. Scozzari R, Massaia A, Trombetta B, Bellusci G, Myres NM, Novelletto A, Cruciani F. (2014). An
unbiased resource of novel SNP markers provides a new chronology for the human Y chromosome
and reveals a deep phylogenetic structure in Africa. Genome Research 24:535-544.
22. Scozzari R, Massaia A, D'Atanasio E, Myres NM, Perego UA, Trombetta B, Cruciani F. (2012).
Molecular dissection of the basal clades in the human Y chromosome phylogenetic tree. PLoS One
7: e49170.
23. Cruciani F, Trombetta B, Massaia A, Destro-Bisol G, Sellitto D, Scozzari R. (2011). A revised root
for the human Y chromosomal phylogenetic tree: the origin of patrilineal diversity in Africa.
American Journal of Human Genetics 88: 814-818.
24. Trombetta B, Cruciani F, Sellitto D, Scozzari R. (2011). A new topology of the human Y
chromosome haplogroup E1b1 (E-P2) revealed through the use of newly characterized binary
polymorphisms. PLoS One 6:e16 073.
25. Cruciani F, Trombetta B, Antonelli C, Pascone R, Valesini G, Scalzi V, Vona G, Melegh B,
Zagradisnik B, Assum G, Efremov GD, Sellitto D, Scozzari R. (2011). Strong intra- and intercontinental
differentiation revealed by Y chromosome SNPs M269, U106 and U152. Forensic
Science International Genetics 5: e49-52.
26. Cruciani F, Trombetta B, Macaulay V, Scozzari R. (2010). About the X-to-Y gene conversion rate.
American Journal of Human Genetics 86: 495-497. 5 years IF: 11,18
27. Cruciani F, Trombetta B, Sellitto D, Massaia A, Destro-Bisol G, Watson E, Beraud Colomb E,
Dugoujon JM, Moral P, Scozzari R. (2010). Human Y chromosome haplogroup R-V88: a paternal
genetic record of early mid Holocene trans-Saharan connections and the spread of Chadic languages.
European Journal of Human Genetics 18: 800-807.
28. Trombetta B, Cruciani F, Underhill PA, Sellitto D, Scozzari R. (2010). Footprints of X- to-Y gene
conversion in recent human evolution. Molecular Biology and Evolution 27:714-725.
29. Cruciani F, Trombetta B, Sellitto D, Massaia A, Destro-Bisol G, Watson E, Beraud Colomb E,
Dugoujon JM, Moral P, Scozzari R. (2010). Chadic languages and Y haplogroups Reply European
Journal of Human Genetics 18: 1186-1187. 5 years IF: 4,03
30. Cruciani F, Trombetta B, Labuda D, Modiano D, Torroni A, Costa R, Scozzari R. (2008). Genetic
diversity patterns at the human clock gene period 2 are suggestive of population-specific positive
selection. European Journal of Human Genetics 16:1526- 1534.
31. Cruciani F, Trombetta B, Novelletto A, Scozzari R. (2008). Recurrent mutation in SNPs within Y
chromosome E3b (E-M215) haplogroup: a rebuttal. American Journal of Human Biology 20:614-
616.
32. Cruciani F, La Fratta R, Trombetta B, Santolamazza P, Sellitto D, Colomb EB, Dugoujon JM,
Crivellaro F, Benincasa T, Pascone R, Moral P, Watson E, Melegh B, Barbujani G, Fuselli S, Vona
G, Zagradisnik B, Assum G, Brdicka R, Kozlov AI, Efremov GD, Coppa A, Novelletto A, Scozzari
R. (2007). Tracing past human male movements in northern/eastern Africa and western Eurasia: new
clues from Y- chromosomal haplogroups E-M78 and J-M12. Molecular Biology and Evolution
24:1300-1311.
33. Tucci GF, Winfield MO, D Amato GF, Gregori C, Trombetta B, De Dominicis RI. (2004) Genetic
diversity in Narcissus poëticus L. and N. radiiflorus Salisb. (Amaryllidaceae) in two different
populations: AFLP and karyological studies. Caryologia 57: 405-411.
Di Pietro R, D'Amato G, Trombetta B. (2003). Karyology and distribution of Sesleria tenuifolia
complex (Poaceae) in the Italian Peninsula. Nordic Journal of Botany 23:615- 623.