Hugo Rafael Cardoso Oliveira
Collaborator
I am committed with multi-disciplinary research. I obtained a BSc degree in Biology (University of Minho) and a PhD in Archaeology (University of Cambridge). My research has focused on the process of plant domestication and adaptation.
My research focuses on temporal changes in biodiversity in wheat, rye and legumes by conducting genomic analysis of traditional varieties (landraces) and archaeological or historical materials. By analyzing the geographical distribution of genetic diversity in of these species I try to understand how farming spread and how trade routes operated in the past.
I also try to identify which genes and genomic regions underlie the traits associated with plant domestication (domestication syndrome), with adaptation of crops to different environments and cultural preferences, and if any epigenetic mechanisms were involved in this process. And, ultimately, to answer the questions of how and why did humans domesticate plants.
