Dr Melisa Olave

International Fellow at the Sanger Institute, an Associate Researcher at IADIZA-CONICET (Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Aridas) and Professor at the National University of Cuyo

Melisa collaborates with Joana Meier to explore of how a single species can rapidly diversify into a range of new species (known as rapid radiation events). By advancing our understanding of evolutionary processes, Melisa's work seeks to inform effective conservation strategies. Her research focuses on the Liolaemus lizards, a genus of iguanian lizards that is endemic to South America and which is one of the most diverse vertebrate animals known in the world.

Melisa Olave, is an Associate Researcher at IADIZA-CONICET (Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Aridas) and Professor at the National University of Cuyo. She is an evolutionary biologist specialising in the intersection of micro- and macro-evolution, with applications for biodiversity conservation. Her research integrates genomic DNA studies with morphology and ecology to unravel the complexities of evolutionary processes and apply this knowledge to conservation efforts.

She earned her degree in Biological Sciences from the National University of Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Argentina. She completed her Ph.D. at the National University of Córdoba, Argentina, supported by a CONICET fellowship, with research conducted at CENPAT in Puerto Madryn. Following this, she pursued postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Michigan (USA) and the University of Konstanz (Germany). She was ranked first nationwide in the selection process for entry into the CONICET Researcher Career (Biological Sciences committee) and returned to her home country Argentina. She has been honoured with prestigious fellowships, including the Fulbright Program (USA) and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Germany), and was recognised as a National Rising Talent in the L’Oreal-UNESCO “For Women in Science” Awards (2023).

Currently, Dr Olave is an Associate Researcher at IADIZA-CONICET, a Professor at the National University of Cuyo, and an Associate Editor of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. A passionate scientist and mother, she is dedicated to advancing our understanding of evolutionary processes to inform effective conservation strategies.