Professor Luisa Orsini MRSB

Professor Luisa Orsini

School of Biosciences
Professor of Evolutionary Systems Biology and Environmental Omics
Alan Turing Fellow, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Co-founder and CEO of Daphne Water Solutions, Deputy Director of the Centre for Environmental Research and Justice (CERJ)

Contact details

Telephone
+44 (0)121 4145894
Fax
+44 (0)121 414 5925
Email
l.orsini@bham.ac.uk
View my research portal
Address
312, School of Biosciences and Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Science and AI
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Luisa's mission is to improve environmental health by pushing the boundaries of research and innovation. She applies high throughput sequencing technologies and AI to understand the impact of environmental change on freshwater ecosystems. Luisa works with ghost DNA and resurrected crustaceans to identify the causes of biodiversity loss and the mechanisms of evolution that allow species to persist.

Luisa is passionate about multidisciplinary science and thinking out of the box. This thinking has led her to patent and commercialize a water reclamation and waste valorization technology that meets the net-zero carbon emission goals and delivers clean water to all. By translating cutting-edge multidisciplinary science into practical applications, Luisa provides tools and processes for mitigation interventions that enable green growth and meet UN developmental goals. 

Qualifications

  • 2020 - Member of the Royal Society of Biology 
  • 2020 - Founder of EnviSion, Environmental BioSequencing and BioComputing, UoB Enterprise
  • 2020 - Emerging Leaders Programme Certificate (leadership style and management)
  • 2019 - Medici Enterprise Training Certificate (business, IP and spin-out)
  • 2018 – Academic College Lead for Enabling Technologies Sequencing Platforms
  • 2017 - Master: Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PCAP)
  • 2017 - Director of the Environmental Omics Sequencing Facility (now EnviSion), University of Birmingham Enterprise
  • 2016 - Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK
  • 2003 - PhD, University of Messina/Stazione Zoologica A. Dohrn Naples, Italy
  • 1999 - Master in Environmental Science, Istituto Universitario Navale, Naples, Italy

Biography

  • 022 - Professor of Evolutionary Systems Biology and Environmental Omics
  • 2021 - Co-founder, CEO and Executive Director of Daphne Water Solutions Ltd
  • 2020 - Founder and CTO of EnviSion, Environmental BioSequencing and BioComputing, UoB Enterprise
  • 2019-2021 - Alan Turing Fellow
  • 2018-present - Associate Professor in BioSystems and Environmental Change, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham
  • 2013-2018 - Assistant Professor in BioSystems and Environmental Change, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham.
  • 2012-2013 - Senior research fellow (postdoc), Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, University of Leuven, Belgium (Fellowship by the Belgian research council, FWO)
  • 2011-2012 - Visiting scientist, Centre of Genomics and Bioinformatics, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, USA (Fellowship by the by the Belgian research council, FWO)
  • 2008-2011 - Research fellow (postdoc), Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, University of Leuven, Belgium (Fellowship by the by the Belgian research council, FWO)
  • 2004-2008 - Research fellow (postdoc), Metapopulation Research Group, University of Helsinki, Finland (Fellowship by the Finnish Cultural Foundation)
  • 2003-2004 - Research fellow (postdoc), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria (EU grant)

2022

Professor of Evolutionary Systems Biology and Environmental Omics

2021

Co-founder, CEO and Executive Director of Daphne Water Solutions Ltd

2020

Founder and CTO of EnviSion, Environmental BioSequencing and BioComputing, UoB Enterprise

Teaching

Module leader in “Toxicology for the 21st century” (Master in Toxicology). The module provides cutting-edge high throughput toxicology training to increase employability.

Lecturing in Adaptation to changing environments.

Tutor for Year1, Year2, Year3 and Master students.

Postgraduate supervision

Postdocs

  • 2021-2023: Dr Anurag Anurag Chaturvedi: Bioinformatics working on evolutionary genomics. Independent Marie Curie Fellow

  • 2021-2022: Dr Narges Habibi: Computational Biology working on Environment and Human Health: Monitoring and Prevention Using AI 

  • 2020-2021: Dr Iestyn Staed: Engineer working on RAEng/Innovate UK project to commercialize Daphne Water Solutions
  • 2019-2020: Dr Rafael Orozco, Chemical Engineer working on a BBSRC funded grant to assess the market value of upconverted biowaste generated via the biological treatment of wastewater by Daphnia. He has several years of experience in industry having established and sold for profit his own company in
  • 2017-ongoing: Dr Vignesh Dhandapani, Bioinformatician working on deCODE (Cracking the Code of Adaptive Evolution using biological archives)
  • 2018-2020: Dr Romain Derelle, Bioinformatician working on LOFRESH (Understanding the ecological relevance of eDNA in freshwater lotic ecosystems)
  • 2017-2020: Dr Jiarui Zhou, Computer scientist specialized in AI working on deCODE (Cracking the Code of Adaptive Evolution using biological archives)
  • 2017-2019: Dr Timothy Williams, ecotoxicologist working on deCODE (Cracking the Code of Adaptive Evolution using biological archives)

 

PhD students

  • 2022-2026: Florian Gigl Goete University Frankfurt, Germany

  • 2022-2026: Abbakar Umar: self-funded PhD student by the Petroleum Technology Development Funds, Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK

  • 2022-2026: Arron Walsh NERC CENTA iCASE University of Birmingham, UK

  • 2022-2026: Nooshin Barzegar Marvasti; BBSRC MIBTP iCASE University of Birmingham, UK2019- 

  • 2023: Niamh Eastwood: BBSRC MIBTP2019 PhD student, University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2019 -2022: Muhammad Abdullahi; self-funded PhD student by the Petroleum Technology Development Funds, Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2019-2022: Giulia Bellisai; Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK.
  • 2016-2019: Hollie Marshall; University of Leicester/University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2015-2019: Rosemary Barnett; Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2014-2018: Maria Cuenca Cambronero, Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2010-2016: Katina Spanier Biology, University of Leuven, Belgium
  • 2009-2015: Aurora Geerts; University of Leuven, Belgium.
  • 2010-2013: Daniela D' Esposito; The Open University
  • 2005-2009: Helena Wirta Koivuletho; Biology, University of Helsinki, Finland.

 

Master students

  • 2021: Alice Jones Msc Biosciences; University of Birmingham, UK

  • 2021: Garry Gabayno Msc Biosciences; University of Birmingham, UK

  • 2021: Wenqui Jiang Msc Bioinformatics; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2021: Rebecca Ball Msc Biosciences; University of Birmingham, UK

  • 2021: Chukwubike Nneoma June Katia MSci; Toxicology; University of Birmingham, UK

  • 2021: Parnell Christopher MSci; Toxicology; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2020: Donglu Gu; Msc Biosciences; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2020: Zhifan Wu Msc Bioinformatics; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2020: Kai Brown MSci; Toxicology; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2020: Thomas Hornsby MSci; Toxicology; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2018: Troy Kemmish MSci; Toxicology; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2018: Padma Ananthan; MSci Toxicology; University of Birmingham, UK.
  • 2017: Niamh Eastwood; MRes Biosciences; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2017: Adad Iqbal MSci Microbiology and Infection; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2017: Simeon Petersen; MSci Toxicology; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2017: Muideen Adeyinka; MSci Toxicology; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2016: Lisa King; MRes Biosciences; University of Leister, UK
  • 2016: Simon Lee; MSci Toxicology; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2015: Peter Osborne; MRes Biosciences; University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2014: Hollie Marshal; MRes Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK
  • 2001:  Alberto Amato, Master in Biology; Stazione Zoological A. Dohrn, Naples, Italy.

 

Visiting scientists

2019-2013: visiting PhD (6) and undergraduates (15) from various universities in the UK and oversea working in biotechnologies, bioinformatics ad evolutionary biology.

Doctoral research

PhD title
Integrated approach to the study of diversity in the genus Pseudo-nitzschia (Bacillariophyceae): morphology, life cycles and molecular tools

Research

My research develops around two complementary themes: Biodiversity & Environmental Pollution and Mechanisms of Adaptation & Environmental Change. The former discovers correlations between environmental pollution drivers and changes in biodiversity affecting ecosystem services, whereas the latter investigates the mechanisms underpinning loss of biodiversity driven by environmental change. I list below the research projects that feed into these two complementary research themes.

  • Cracking the Code of Adaptive Evolution using biological archives
  • Forecasting adaptive responses to future global change
  • Understanding the ecological relevance of eDNA in freshwater lotic ecosystems
  • Mechanisms and processes underpinning long term evolution
  • The biology of dormancy
  • Metabolic changes and abiotic stress
  • Microbiome-mediated responses to environmental stress
  • Biodiversity and ecosystem services in a changing world
  • Sustainable technologies for water reclamation and waste valorisation

Website: Home | luisaorsini 

ResearchGate profile: www.researchgate.net/profile/Luisa-Orsini

The Alan Turning Insitute: Luisa Orsini | The Alan Turing Institute

Other activities

 

PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

70 international conferences attended: 14 keynote lectures, 19 invited seminars, 31 talks and 14 posters.

Keynote addresses are listed:

  1. European Society or Evolutionary Biology (ESEB) 2022, keynote for the Symposium Resurrection ecology as a tool for the study of rapid evolution, Czech Republic, on 14-19 August 2022.
  2. Artificial Intelligence UK 22nd March 2022, organised by The Alan Turing Institute, UK 
  3. Eco-Evolutionary dynamics conference. 2nd of January 2021, Southampton, UK
  4. 20th Congress of the Iberian Association of Limnology (AIL-2021) and III Ibero-American Congress of Limnology (CIL-2020). 27th-29th October, 2020, Murcia, Spain
  5. 13th Annual Arthropod Genomics Symposium, June 12-14, 2019, Kansas city, State University, USA
  6. The evolutionary time machine unravels the mechanisms of contemporary evolution. Society of Molecular Biology and Evolution (SMBE) 2019, Contemporary Evolution symposium. 21-25 July, 2019, Manchester, UK 
  7. Back to the future with the evolutionary time machine. World Water Day: water for all, 22nd of March 2019, Birmingham, UK
  8. The role of genome structural variation on plastic and constitutive phenotypic divergence in multifarious environments. Symposium ‘The role of genomic structural variants in adaptation and diversification’, ESEB2018, II Joint Congress on Evolutionary Biology - Montpellier, France.
  9. Tales of a living fossil: from evolution to past environmental stress to persistence to future global change. 2nd Finnish Molecular Ecology and Evolution conference,  12-14 October 2016; Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Finland
  10. A revolutionary way to reconstruct evolutionary dynamics in nature over centuries.  The International Biogeography Society, Bayreuth, Germany, 8-12 January 2015
  11. A revolutionary way to reconstruct evolutionary dynamics in nature over centuries. Prodiversa symposium: workshop on population genetics and intraspecific diversity of aquatic protists 27-28 August 2014, Tjarno, Sweden
  12. The past is the key to the future: developing a paleogenomic approach to link population dynamics to environmental change. The mighty daphnia, past present and future DGC 2014 Birmingham, UK 19-22 January 2014
  13. Environmental PALEO-genomics: using dormant propagules to FORECAST how natural populations can adapt to environmental change. Adapting to Global Change in the Mediterranean conference, 18-20 September, 2013 Seville
  14. How to live in a mosaic of stressors – an ecological genomics approach on the water flea Daphnia. SETAC North America 31st Annual Meeting. 7-11 November 2010. Portland, Oregon, USA.
Invited talks
  1. Environment and Human Health: Monitoring and Prevention Using AI. Turing at Birmingham Day. 15th October, 2019
  2. Reflections on COP26. University of Birmingham. 17th November 2021
  3. NATIONAL FORUM FOR REUSE LEARNING HUB, Water Research Commission, South Africa. 24th November 2021
  4. Research and social event for graduate researchers in the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Birmingham – Sustainability. 11th May 2022
INVITED SEMINARS
  1. Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany, 8th June, 2022
  2. Centre for Computational Biology, Birmingham, 9th March 2022
  3. Newcastle University, UK, 16th February 2022
  4. UK Environment Agency, 2nd December 2021
  5. KULeuven, Belgium, 10th September, 2021
  6. Queen Mary University London, 5th November, 2020
  7. Goethe University Frankfur, Germany, 9th June 2020
  8. Bochum University, Ruhr- University Bochum, Bochum, Germany. December 17th, 2019.
  9. Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, UK April 3rd, 2019.
  10. The U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, California USA. December 6th 2018.
  11. University of Lund, Denmark. February 22nd 2018
  12. University of Leicester. March 22nd 2017
  13. University of Helsinki, Finland.11th October 2016
  14. Hull University, UK. March 11th 2016
  15. University of Goteborg, Sweden. September 24th 2015
  16. Natural History Museum London, UK. June 26th 2015
  17. Eawag, Switzerland. April 14th 2011
  18. University of Sheffield, UK. March 31st, 2011.
  19. University of Parma, Italy. May 19th, 2010.
  20. Stazione Zoologica ‘A. Dohrn’, Naples, Italy. September 11th 2006 

 

INVITED LECTURE/LECTURE SERIES
  1. Genetics and genomics in ecology: concepts and applications Master class in evolutionary Ecology, University of Leuven, Belgium. 25th-26th May 2011
  2. Approaches and molecular tools to study adaptation in natural populations University of Cologne, Germany. 31st May-1st June, 2011.
  3. Bottom-up to top-down approaches to study selection, adaptation and evolution. PhD course University of Parma, Italy. 18th May 2010.
  4. PhD course in Population genetics and Phylogeny in Marine systems. Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, Italy. 5th-8th October, 2009.
  5. The use of Molecular markers in ecology and evolution. Lecture within the undergraduate course in Biology, University of Leuven, Belgium. 22nd April 2009 
  6. Molecular ecology: the study of ecology and evolution with molecular markers. Master class in Biology, University of Leuven, Belgium. 27th  April 2009 
  7. Graduate course in Conservation Biology in Fragmented Landscapes. Inbreeding in captive and wild populations: case studies and implication for conservation, University of Helsinki, Finland. 6th-23rd November 2006.
  8. Molecular markers and their application in molecular ecology. In: Molecular Ecology. University of Helsinki, Finland. 3rd November 2006.
  9. The use of genetic markers in population genetics. Lecture and laboratory practice, University of Helsinki, Finland. 15th September 2006
  10. Microsatellite evolution. University of Helsinki, Finland11th November 2005.
  11. Cloning course. Cloning tool: How, why, to address what questions. University of Helsinki, Finland. 25th -27th January 2005
  12. Graduate course in Conservation Biology in Fragmented Landscapes. Population genetics in fragmented landscapes. University of Helsinki, Finland. 14th October 2004
  13. Lecture within the PhD program of the Open University. Microsatellites: a powerful tool to infer phylogeny, phylogeography and population structure. Stazione Zoologica ‘A. Dohrn’, Naples, Italy20th May 2004

 

CITIZENSHIP
  1. Associate Editor of BMC Ecology and Evolution, Springer Nature
  2. Editorial Advisory Board Environmental DNA, Wiley
  3. Guest Editor of the 2021 Collection on Applications of Environmental DNA and RNA Technology in Ecology BMC Ecology and Evolution, Springer Nature
  4. Gest Editor of the special issue on Evolutionary Ecological genomics, Molecular Ecology Wiley
  5. Expert grant evaluator for the EU commission, Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Biotechnology and Biological Research Council (BBSRC) UK, Natural Environment Natural Environment research Council (NERC) UK, National Science Foundation (NSF) USA, Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) Portugal.
  6. Reviewer for Molecular, Ecology, Global Change Biology, Heredity, Journal of Animal Biology, Ecotoxicology among others.
  7. Member of the European Society for Evolutionary Biology (ESEB)
  8. Member of the Society of Molecular Biology and Evolution (SMBE)
  9. Member of the Royal Society of Biology
  10. Selection committee member for recruitment of professorial level applicants for the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (Switzerland), Catholic University Leuven (Belgium), Foundation for Science and Technology (Portugal
Outreach activities-societal impact

As academics, it is our responsibility to communicate more broadly, especially to the public. With the majority of research being funded by the government through the tax-paying public, I believe it is crucial to tackle these goals and help connect science and society. I use social media platforms, such as twitter and LinkedIn to disseminate research. In addition, I am frequently approached by journalists and science communicators for outreach activities. I make sure to include my PDRA and PhD students in these dissemination events to provide them with the learning experience in science communication. To date, I have accumulated a portfolio of science communication and dissemination through different platforms: audiobooks, science podcasts, outreach lectures and newspaper articles, radio and television interviews:

Audiobooks

  1. 1.     January 2022 –Audiobook: Harnessing waterfleas to purify wastewater (SciPod) (https://www.scipod.global/harnessing-water-fleas-to-purify-wastewater/)
  2. 2.     February 2021 – Audiobook: Sublethal doses of Roundup negatively affect a nontarget invertebrate (https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-276030/v1)

Podcasts and interviews:

3.     January 2022 – Hexis Plus TV; Nature’s water hero. Interview with Chris Jones on climate change and removal of dangerous chemicals from water. The technological solutions are suitable for deployment in the global south (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHl0La86zAA)

4.     December 2021 - science podcast on the model species Daphnia and its role in the multimillion EU award Precision Toxicology (https://precisiontox.org/voxlab/)

5.     November 2021- the Alan Turing Institute spotlights promoted the ‘Brilliant minds working at the Turing’ (https://www.turing.ac.uk/people/spotlights/luisa-orsini)

6.     November 2021 - Interviewed at ITV evening news. 

7.     October 2021 – Interviews by BBC WM Radio (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09ydqcf) (listen from 7.11am); BBC Radio 5-live (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_five_live) (listen from 6:09am); BBC Radio CWR (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_coventry_warwickshire) (listen from 7.50am); Radio Global; BBC Radio Cheshire (https://uk.radio.net/s/cheshiresoundsradio) (listen from 8.26) to increase awareness on Climate Change.

8.     March 2019 – Interview for Women day ‘Inspiring women in science’

9.     February 2019 - Interviewed for World Water Day-Water to increase awareness about water challenges https://youtu.be/A9gnFOGCSQ4.

10.  September 2018 - Scienza e Coscienza podcast on the mechanisms and consequence of species extinction

11.  February 2018 - Interview by Slightly Evolved, a weekly science podcast for science outreach.

12.  July 2017 - Interviewed by The Scientist (Claire Asher) for an expert commentary on the scientific publication: ‘Nine decades of environmental change resurrected from Swedish seas’.

13.  January 2014 – Interview by The New York Times (Carl Zimmer) for an expert commentary for the science article ‘Revived shrimp-like animal (Daphnia from North America) that have been buried at the bottom of the lake for an estimated 700 years’.

14.  March 2014 – Interview by The New York Times(Carl Zimmer) for an expert commentary on the scientific article ‘’ A moss bank dating back millennia on Signy Island off Antarctica that was revived to blossom in modern times’.

Public lectures

15.  November 2019 - TheStar Wars Research Event - “Birmingham Strikes Back” organized by the University of Birmingham. Title: Long-term evolution using Daphnia as a model species #birminghamstrikesback, UoB Facebook channel https://facebook.com/unibirmingham/); https://www.facebook.com/unibirmingham/videos/2507829439303910.

BBC documentary

  1. 16.  June 2017, she contributed to the BBC documentary on Earth’s Greatest Spectacles in which conservation and the process of reviving dormant specimens was showcased: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0717vkv; http://bbc.in/1Tz3xyG

Newspapers and science magazines

17.  November 2021 – The Biodiversity Time Machine, a new framework for biodiversity science (multiple outlets): https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2021/11/biodiversity-time-machine-uses-artificial-intelligence-to-learn-from-the-past.aspx; https://www.turing.ac.uk/news/biodiversity-time-machine-uses-ai-learn-past; https://www.leeds.ac.uk/news-environment/news/article/4954/biodiversity-time-machine-uses-ai-to-learn-from-the-past; https://thenewstack.io/ai-biodiversity-time-machine-could-decide-for-uncertain-future/; linked to the publication in Trends in Ecology and Evolution (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2021.09.008)

18.  July 2021 – Daphnia’s unique properties to study long-term evolution (multiple outlets) https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-07/uob-rei071221.php

https://phys.org/news/2021-07-rapid-evolution-waterfleas-yields-insights.html

https://scitechdaily.com/extraordinary-ability-of-animals-to-rapidly-evolve-in-response-to-predators-yields-new-conservation-insights/

https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2021/07/14/britain-water-fleas-rapid-evolution/3421626287486/

19.  December 2020 - February 2021 –The impact of the widely used herbicide Roundup on aquatic life (multiple outlets) linked to the publication in Microbiome (https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-020-00943-5). Pesticides News, issue 124 (https://issuu.com/pan-uk/docs/pesticide_news_124_-_february_2021?fr=sZGY4MjExOTMxNQ); The Daily Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/environment/2020/12/16/water-creature-bottom-food-chain-harmed-roundup-weedkiller-study/), the Courthouse News Service USA (https://www.courthousenews.com/dna-damage-found-in-keystone-species-exposed-to-roundup/), Nuevo Periodico (https://nuevoperiodico.com/la-exposicion-prolongada-al-rodeo-de-herbicidas-puede-causar-un-dano-significativo-a-especies-clave/); University of Birmingham press release highlights (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2020/12/new-research-highlights-impacts-of-weedkiller-on-wildlife.aspx). 

20.  August 2018 – How to use the past to understand responses to Climate change linked to the article published in Trends in Ecology and Evolution (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2018.07.005). UK and Danish press releases (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2018/08/animals-and-plants-react-to-climate-change-study.aspx; https://www.science.ku.dk/english/press/news/2018/adapt-move-or-die-how-biodiversity-reacted-to-past-climate-change/) 

Expert panelist

21.  October 2017 - panel expert on Climate Change, Enactus Birmingham, an association that creates sustainable and empowering social enterprises, using entrepreneurial skills to improve the livelihoods of people in need

Publications

 

Current H-index: 26; 60 publications; ca 2,700 citations in July 2022 (source: ResearchGate)

  1. Orsini L, Dearn KDD (2021) Patent WO2021116229 Using Daphnia for bioremediation

Reviews and Opinions

  1. Eastwood N, Stubbings WA, Abdallah MA, Durance I, Paavola J, Dallimer M, Pantel JH., Johnson S, Zhou J, Hosking JS, Brown JB, Ullah S, Krause S, Hannah DM, Crawford SE, Widmann M, OrsiniL (2022)The Time Machine framework: monitoring and prediction of biodiversity loss’. Trends in Ecology and Evolution(Invited opinion paper) 37: 138-146.
  1. Nogués-Bravo D, Rodríguez-Sánchez F, Orsini L, de Boer E, Jansson R,Morlon H, Fordham DA, Jackson ST (2018)Cracking the Code of Biodiversity Responses to Past Climate Change Trends in Ecology and Evolution(Invited review) 33: 765-776.
  2. Orsini L, Schwenk K, De Meester L, Colbourne JK, Pfrender ME, Weider LJ(2013) The evolutionary time machine: using dormant propagules to forecast how populations can adapt to changing environments. Trends in Ecology and Evolution(Invited opinion paper) 28: 274-282.
  3. Orsini L, Vanoverbeke J, Swillen I, Mergeay J, De Meester L (2013) Drivers of population genetic differentiation in the wild: isolation by dispersal limitation, isolation by adaptation and isolation by colonization. Molecular Ecology (Invited review) 22: 5983-5999.
  4. Orsini L,Andrew R, Eizaguirre C (2013) Evolutionary Ecological Genomics Molecular Ecology (Editorial piece for the special issueEvolutionary Ecological Genomics, eds Orsini, L, Andrew, R and Eizaguirre, C)22: 527-531 .

 Peer reviewed journal articles

1.      Abdullahi M, Zhou J, Dandhapani V, Chaturvedi A, Orsini L. (2022) Historical exposure to chemicals reduces tolerance to chemical stress in Daphnia (waterflea). Molecular Ecology 31: 3098-3111

2.      Chaturvedi A, Zhou, Raeymaekers JAM, Czypionka T, Orsini L, Jackson CE, Spanier KI, ShawJR, Colbourne JK, De Meester L (2021) Extensive standing genetic variation from a small number of founders enables rapid adaptation in Daphnia. Nature Communications 12: 4306.

3.      Cambronero Cuenca M, Nguyen TTT, Tomero-Sanz H, Marshall H, Orsini L (2021) Evolutionary mechanisms underpinning fitness response to multiple stressors in Daphnia. Invited contribution to the special issue: Human induced evolution: from targeted species to worldwide impacts of human actions Evolutionary Applications 14:2457-2469.

4.      Kissane S, Dhandapani V, Orsini L (2021) Protocol for assay of transposase accessible chromatin sequencing in non-model species STAR Protocols Cell Press (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100341).

5.      Suppa A, Kvist J, LiX, DhandapaniV, Almulla H, TianAY, Kissane S, Zhou J, Perotti A, Mangelson H, Langford K, Rossi V, Brown JB, Orsini L (2020) Roundup causes embryonic development failure and alters metabolic pathways and gut microbiota functionality in non-target species. BMC Microbiome 8:170.

6.    Toyota K, Cambronero Cuenca M, Dhandapani V, Suppa A, Rossi V, ColbourneJK, Orsini L (2019) Transgenerational response to early spring warming in Daphnia Nature Scientific Reports: 9: 1-11.

7.    Jahnke M, D’ Esposito D, Orrù L, Lamontanara A, Dattolo E, Badalamenti F, Mazzuca S, Procaccini G, Orsini L (2019) Heredity: 22:233–243.

8.    Ward A, Wondzell S, Schmadel N, Herzog S, Zarnetske J, Baranov V, Blaen P, Brekenfeld N, Drummond J, Fleckenstein J, Garayburu-Caruso V, Graham E, Hannah D, Harman C, Hixson J, Knapp J, Krause S, Kurz M, Lewandowski J, Li A, Marti E, Miller M, Milner A, Neil K, Plont S, Renteria L, Reynolds S, Roche K, Royer T, Segura C, Stegen J, Toyoda J, Wells J, Wisnoski N, Orsini L, Derelle R (2019) Spatial and temporal variation in river corridor exchange across a 5th-order mountain stream network Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (Invited contribution to the special issue Linking landscape organisation and hydrological functioning: from hypotheses and observations to concepts, models and understanding) 23, 5199–5225.

9.    Cottier F, Sherrington S, Cockeril S, Delolmo V,Kissane S, Tournu H, Orsini L, Palmer GE, Pérez C, Hall RA (2019) Remasking of Candida albicans _-Glucan in Response to Environmental pH Is Regulated by Quorum Sensing mBio 5: e02347-19.

10.    Zarnetske J, Baranov V, Blaen P, Brekenfeld N, Chu R, Derelle R, Drummond J, Fleckenstein J, Garayburu-Caruso V, Graham E, Hannah D, Harman C, Hixson J, Knapp J, Krause S, Kurz M, Lewandowski J, Li A, Miller M, Milner A, Neil K, Orsini L, Packman A, Plont S, Renteria L, Roche K, Royer T, Schmadel N, Segura C, Stegen J, Toyoda J, Wisnoski N, Wondzell S (2019) Earth Systems Science Data (Invited contribution to the special issue Linking landscape organisation and hydrological functioning: from hypotheses and observations to concepts, models and understanding) 11: 1567–1581.

11.    Singh AK, Choudhury SR, De S, Zhang J, Kissane S, Dwivedi V, Ramanathan P, Petric M, Orsini L, Hebenstreit D, BrognaS (2019) The RNA helicase UPF1 associates with mRNAs co-transcriptionally and is required for the release of mRNAs from gene loci eLife: 8: e41444.

12.    Cambronero Cuenca M, Marshall H, De Meester L, Davidson TA, Beckerman AP Orsini L (2018) Predictability of the impact of multiple stressors on the keystone species DaphniaNature Scientific Reports 8: 17572.

13. Cambronero Cuenca M, Beasley J, Kissane S , Orsini L(2018) Evolution of thermal tolerance in multifarious environments. Molecular Ecology 27: 4529–4541.

14. Cambronero Cuenca M, Zeis B, Orsini, L (2018) Haemoglobin-mediated response to hyper-thermal stress in the keystone species Daphnia magna. Evolutionary Applications (Invited contribution for the special issue Evolutionary Aspects of Resurrection Ecology: Progress, Scope, and Applications) 11:112-120.

15. Cuenca Cambronero M and Orsini, L (2018) Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications Journal of Visualized Experiments 131: e56637

16. Haileselasie, TH, Mergeay J, Vanoverbeke J, Orsini, L, De Meester L. (2018). Founder effects determine the genetic structure of the water flea Daphnia in Ethiopian reservoirs. Limnology & Oceanography: 63: 915–926

17. Orsini L, Brown JB,Shams Solari, O Li D, He S, Podicheti R, Stoiber MH, Spanier KI, Gilbert D, Jansen M, Rusch D, Pfrender ME, Colbourne JK, Frilander MJ, Kvist J, Decaestecker E, De Schamphelaere KAC, De Meester L (2017) Early transcriptional response pathways in Daphnia magna are coordinated in networks of crustacean specific genes. Molecular Ecology: 27:886-897.This paper was highlighted in the perspectives of Molecular Ecology with the following commentary: Stanford, B. and Rogers, S.R(NA)-tistic Expression: the art of matching unknown mRNA and proteins to environmental response in ecological genomics.

18. Jansen M, Geerts AN, Rago A, Spanier KI, Denis C, De Meester L, Orsini, L (2017) Thermal tolerance in the keystone species Daphnia magna —a candidate gene and an outlier analysis approach. Molecular Ecology, 26, 2291–2305.

19. Spanier IK, Jansen M, Decaestecker E, Hulselmans G, Becker D, Colbourne JK, Orsini L, De Meester L., Aerts S (2017) Conserved Transcription Factors Steer Growth-Related Genomic Programs in Daphnia Genome Biology and Evolution: 9(6):1821–1842.

20. Asselman J, De Coninck DIM, Beert E, Janssen CR, Orsini, L; Pfrender ME, Decaestecker E; De Schamphelaere K (2017) Bisulfite Sequencing with Daphnia Highlights a Role for Epigenetics in Regulating Stress Response to Microcystis through Preferential Differential Methylation of Serine and Threonine Amino Acids Environmental Science & Technology 51, 924−931.

21. Orsini L, Marshall H, Cambronero Cuenca M, Chaturvedi A, Thomas KW, Pfrender ME, Spanier KI, De Meester L (2016) Temporal genetic stability in natural populations of the waterflea Daphnia magna in response to strong selection pressureMolecular Ecology, 25: 6024–6038.

22. Orsini, L Gilbert D, Podicheti R, Jansen M, Brown JB, Shams Solari O, Spanier KI, Colbourne JK, Rusch DB, Decaestecker E, Asselman J, De Schamphelaere KAC, Ebert D, Haag CR, Kvist J, Laforsch L, Petrusek A, Beckerman AP, Little  TJ, Chaturvedi A, Pfrender ME, De Meester L, Frilander MJ (2016) Daphnia magna transcriptome by RNA-Seq across 12 environmental stressors. Nature Scientific Data 3:160030.

23. D’Esposito D, Orr L, Dattolo E, .Bernarndo L, Lamontanara A, Orsini, L, Serra IA, Mazzuca S, Procaccini G. (2016) Transcriptome characterisation and simple sequence repeat marker discovery in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica Nature Scientific Data 3:160115.

24. Li D, Brown JB, Orsini L, Hu G, Pan Z, He S (2016) MODA: MOdule Differential Analysis for weighted gene co-expression network bioRxiv 053496.

25. Amato, A. and Orsini, L. (2015) Rare interspecific breeding in Pseudo-nitzschia (Bacillariophyceae) Phytotaxa, 217: 145-154

26. Orsini L, Mergeay J, Vanoververbeke J, De Meester L (2013) The role of selection in driving landscape genomic structure of the waterflea Daphnia magna. Molecular Ecology (Invited contribution to the special issue on Evolutionary Ecological Genomics)22: 583-601

27. D' Esposito D, Orsini L, Procaccini G. (2013)Permanent genetics resources Molecular Ecology Resources 13: 546-549.

28. Orsini L, Spanier KI, De Meester L (2012) Genomic signature of natural and anthropogenic stress in wild populations of the waterflea Daphnia magna: validation in space, time and experimental evolution Molecular Ecology 21: 2160–2175. This paper was highlighted in the perspectives of Molecular Ecology with the following commentary: Pfrender, M.E. "Triangulating the genetic basis of adaptation to multifarious selection"

29. Orsini L, Jansen M, Souche EL, Geldof S, De Meester L (2011) Single nucleotide polymorphism discovery from expressed sequence tags in the waterflea Daphnia magnaBMC Genomics. 12: 309. This paper has been listed in the F1000 Biology for its innovative approach. It was commented by Van Straalen, N. M.  http://f1000.com/12991956.

30. Jansen B, Geldof S, De Meester L, Orsini L Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers in the waterflea Daphnia magna (2011) Molecular Ecology Resources. 11: 418-421.

31. De Meester L, Van Doorslaer W, Geerts A, Orsini L, Stoks R. (2011)Thermal Genetic Adaptation in the Water Flea Daphnia and its Impact: An Evolving Metacommunity ApproachIntegrative and Comparative Biology (invited contribution for a special volume on “Integrated analysis of thermal adaptation”). 51: 703–718.

32. Orsini L, Decaestecker E, De Meester L, Pfrender ME, Colbourne JK (2010) Biology Letters 7: 2-3.

33.  Wirta H, Viljanen H, Orsini L, Montreuil O, Hanski I (2010) Three parallel radiations of Canthonini dung beetles in Madagascar. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 57:710-727.

34.  Orsini L, Wheat CW, Haag CR, Kvist J, Frilander MJ, Hanski I (2009) Fitness differences associated with Pgi SNP genotypes in the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) Journal of Evolutionary Biology 22: 367–375.

35.  Orsini L, Corander J, Alasentie A, Hanski I (2008). Genetic spatial structure in a butterfly metapopulation correlates better with past than present demographic structure. Molecular Ecology 217: 2629-2642.

36.  Wirta, H, Orsini L, Hanski I (2008). An old adaptive radiation of forest dung beetles in Madagascar. Molecular Phylogenetic and Evolution47: 1076-1089.

37.  Orsini L, Pajunen M, Hanski I, Savilahti H (2007). SNP discovery by mismatch-targeting of Mu transposition. Nucleic Acids Research 35 (6) e44. This paper was in the research highlights of Nature 2007, vol 4(4)doi:10.1038/nmeth0407-299

38.  Orsini L, Koivulehto K, Hanski I (2007) Molecular evolution and radiation of dung beetles in Madagascar. Cladistics 23: 145-168.

39.  Mirol P.M., Schäfer M.A., Orsini L.et al. (2007) Phylogeographic patterns in Drosophila montana.Molecular Ecology 16, 1085–1097.

40.  Schäfer MA, Orsini L, McAllister BF, Schlotterer C (2006). Patterns of microsatellite variation through a transition zone of a chromosomal cline in Drosophila americanaHeredity97: 291-295.

41.  Amato A., Orsini L. et al. (2005) Life cycle, size reductionpatterns and ultrastructure of the pennate planktonic diatom Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima (Bacillariophyceae) Journal of Phycology 41: 542-556.

42.  Cerino F, Orsini L, Sarno D, Dell’Aversano C, Tartaglione L, Zingone A (2005). The alternation of different morphotypes in the seasonal cycle of the toxic diatom Pseudo-nitzschia galaxiaeHarmful Algae 4: 33-48.

43.      Orsini L, Huttunen S, Schlotterer C (2004) A multilocus microsatellite phylogeny of the Drosophila virilis group. Heredity 93: 161-165.

44.       Orsini L. and Schlötterer C. (2004). Isolation and characterization of microsatellites in Drosophila montana and their cross-species amplification in D. virilis.Molecular Ecology Notes 4 (3): 412-414. 

45.   Orsini, L, Procaccini G, Sarno D, Montresor M (2004) Multiple rDNA ITS-types within the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima (Bacillariophyceae) and their relative abundances across a spring bloom in the Gulf of Naples.Marine Ecology Progress Series 271:87-98.

46.   Montresor M, Lovejoy C, Orsini L, Procaccini G, Roy S. (2003) Bipolar distribution of the cyst-forming dinoflagellate Polarella glacialis. Polar Biology 26: 186-194.

47.   Orsini, L, Sarno D, Procaccini G, Poletti R, Dahlmann J, Montresor M (2002) Toxic Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata (Bacillariophyceae) from the Gulf of Naples: morphology, toxin analysis and phylogenetic relationships with other Pseudo-nitzschia species. European Journal of Phycology, 37: 247-257.

48.   Procaccini G, Ruggiero MV, Orsini L (2002) Genetic structure and distribution of microsatellite population genetic diversity in Posidonia oceanica in the Mediterranean Basin. Bulletin of Marine Science 71:1291-1297.

49.   Procaccini G, Orsini L, et al. (2001) Spatial patterns of genetic diversity in Posidonia oceanica an endemic Mediterranean seagrass Molecular Ecology, 10: 1413-1421.  

 Book chapters with peer review

50. Amato A. and Orsini L (2009)The eco-genomics of phytoplankton: an outlook on the future. In: Kersey, W. T. and Munger, S. P. (Eds.), Marine Phytoplankton. NOVA Publisher ISBN: 978-1-60741-087-4.

51. Orsini L, Acunto S, Piazzi L, Procaccini G (2001) Sexual reproduction and recruitment in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, a genetic diversity study. In: Faranda, F.M. Guglielmo L. and Spezie G. (Eds.), Mediterranean Ecosystem: Structures and Processes.  Springer-Verlag , Berlin Heidelberg. Cap. 50: 385-389.

Non SCI journals

52. Ruggiero MV, Orsini L, Procaccini G (2001). Depth related genetic structure in populations of endemic and introduced seagrass species: Posidonia oceanica and Halophila stipulacea. Biologia Marina Mediterranea. 8: 110.

53. Procaccini G, Orsini L, Ruggiero MV (2000) Genetic structure and distribution of microsatellite diversity in Posidonia oceanica. Biologia Marina Mediterranea. 7 (2): 115-118.

54. D'Esposito D, Dattolo E, Badalamenti F, Orsini L, Procaccini G (2012) Comparative analysis of genetic diversity of Posidonia oceanica along a depth gradient using neutral and selective/non neutral microsatellite markers. Biologia Marina Mediterranea 19 (1): 45-48.

View all publications in research portal

Expertise

Biodiversity, sustainable technology and artificial intelligence

Media experience

The Guardian

Earth.com

BBC - Plankton: the source of life

BBC  Rare Earth - How do we get our healthy rivers back?

Expertise

climate change; eutrophication; human-driven environmental change; freshwater biodiversity; long-term biological response to environmental change; wastewater treatment