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University College
London
Department of Anthropology
Postgraduate Room
14 Taviton St
London, WC1H 0BW
E-mail: nicolas.montalva.09@ucl.ac.uk
BSc Physical Anthropology (2007)
Universidad de Chile.
BSc Social Anthropology (2005)
Universidad de Chile.
PhD Start Date: September, 2009
Proposed Finish Date: September, 2013
PhD Working Title: Evolution of Lactase Persistence and Milking Practices in Goat Herders of the Semi-Arid Region of Chile.
Primary Supervisor: Prof. Ruth Mace.
Secondary Supervisor: Prof. Dallas Swallow. (Research
Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment).
Current Research/Academic Interests
My research interests are the effects of cultural practices
and behaviours in genetic evolution. In this broad topic, the strong positive
selection of lactase persistence in milking populations from the Old
World is commonly referred as one of the best supported examples
of the relations between cultural and genetic evolution. My thesis tries to
explain the milking cultural tradition and the dairy-rich diet of
agropastoralists populations from the Semiarid region of Chile.
Considering the mixed Indigenous/European origin of most Latin American rural
populations, and the extremely adverse environment in which these communities
are settled, these groups provide a good scenario to test evolutionary costs
and benefits of bear genes for lactose digestion. This might help to understand
how lactase persistence have provided such a strong selective advantage in
other milking populations.
Additional Interests:
Genetic Evolution, Cultural Evolution, Human Ecology, Demography, Economy, Population Genetics, Epidemiology, History of Anthropology.
Funding: Bicentennial Becas-Chile Scholarship. Advanced Human Capital Programme. Chilean National Commission for Scientiļ¬c and Technological
Research (CONICYT).
