Breckenfeld Ferrarini, Fernanda

Bio

Fernanda is a third-year Molecular Anthropology PhD student, from Brazil. She holds a BSc. in Biotechnology and during her undergraduate studies, she researched genetic mutations related to Alzheimer's Disease. After graduating, she worked with COVID-19 molecular diagnosis at the Institute of Molecular Biology of Paraná, in Curitiba (Brazil). Her research interests include molecular anthropology, human and non-human animal evolution and migration, co-evolution, population genetics, mtDNA, and ancient DNA.

For her MAA, investigated inheritance patterns of malaria-resistance gene variants in The Bahamas population and their relation to uniparental ancestry.

Her PhD research involves ancient DNA analysis from Icelandic zooarchaeological remains to better understand population dynamics and evolution and the relationship between humans and animals during the occupation of Iceland until now. 

She works at the Evolutionary Anthropology and Genetics Laboratory (EAGL) and the Archaeogenetics Laboratory, in the Anthropology Department.

Degrees

  • BSc. in Biotechnology - Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Brazil (2021)

  • MAA - University of Maryland (2026)

Areas of Interest

  • Molecular Anthropology
  • Population Genetics
  • Co-evolution
  • Ancient DNA
  • Migration and mobility

Fernanda standing in front of ancient human species cranium replicas at 0124B Laboratory at Woods Hall.

Fernanda Breckenfeld Ferrarini
Doctoral Student

| EAGLab / Archaeogenetics Lab

| ferbreck@umd.edu

Advisors