Olga Rickards was born in Rome in 1952. Full Professor of Molecular Anthropology (from 2000) and Head of the “Departmental Centre of Molecular Anthropology for ancient DNA studies” (from 1996) of the Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata".
Education: Diploma maturità classica 1970-1971; Laurea magna cum laude (Natural Sciences, University “La Sapienza“, Rome, 1977-78); Laurea magna cum laude (Biological Sciences, University “La Sapienza“ 1980-81).
Long/short term research appointments: Assistant Professor (University “Tor Vergata”, 1984-2000); NATO fellow, Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Hawaii (1998-1999; 1991-1992; 1994); Research Specialist: Department of Human Biology/Physical Anthropology, University of Bremen FRG (1985); Department of Genetics and General Biology, University of Naples (1986); Human Genetics Lab, Roche Molecular System, Alameda California (1994).
Editor of the Annals of Human Biology (Taylor & Francis - Health Sciences). Scientific Leader of various programmes of the European Community and of the National Research Council (CNR, Italy), and of 2003-2005 and 2005-2007 Italian PRIN programmes. Scientific director of the Italian group of the International Columbus Identification DNA Team (coordinator Prof. J. Lorente, Univ. Granada).
Author of books on human evolution, several articles on international and national scientific journal, chapters of scientific books, popular articles in newspapers and scientific magazines. Curator of national exhibitions on human. Appeared on several Rai Educational, Rai 3 and National Geographic television programs. Interviews on Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 3 programs. Coverage of research in national and international newspapers and magazines. Since June 2007 she is author of a blog, reporting news on human evolution, of nova100 ilsole24ore (http://rickardsbiondi.nova100.ilsole24ore.com/).
Research Interests: Human evolution, mtDNA and nuclear polymorphisms, ancient biomolecules.
Her main works are:
G. BIONDI, O. RICKARDS -La storia della nostra origine. Assessorato alla Pubblica istruzione, Comune di Rimini, Arengo, Rimini, 1993-94.G. BIONDI, O. RICKARDS -I sentieri dell’evoluzione. Nuovi indizi sull’origine dell’uomo. CUEN, Napoli, 2000. ISBN 88-7146-539-3.
G. BIONDI, O. RICKARDS –Uomini per caso. Mito, fossili e molecole nella nostra storia evolutiva. II edizione. I ristampa. Editori Riuniti, Roma 2004. ISBN 88-359-5348-0.
G. BIONDI, C. MARTINEZ LABARGA, O. RICKARDS –Il lungo viaggio dell’evoluzione umana. Una introduzione alla mostra «Dimenticando Adamo» (Sant’Angelo Muxaro, novembre 2005-gennaio 2006). Siculgrafica, Agrigento, 2005. SBN Pal0201778.
G. BIONDI, O. RICKARDS –Il codice darwin. Codice edizioni, Prima ristampa aggiornata, Torino 2006. ISBN 88-7578-030-7.
Special edition La Biblioteca delle Scienze. Le Scienze. Mondadori Printing S.p.A., Cles (TN), 2006.
G. BIONDI, F. MARTINI, G. ROTILIO, O. RICKARDS- In carne e ossa. DNA, cibo e culture dell'uomo preistorico. Editori Laterza, Bari-Roma 2006. ISBN 978-88-420-8144-9.