Thales Renato O. de Freitas graduated in Biology from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) in 1977. He obtained his MSc degree also from UFRGS (1981), working with genetics of small rodents. In 1982 he started to study the evolution of the genus Ctenomys in South America. He completed his PhD thesis in 1990, where he analyzed three species of Ctenomys, C. minutus, C. flamarioni and C. lami. Actually, the latter one was described by him as one of the results of his PhD research. Since that time, he coordinates projects addressing ecology, morphology, conservation genetics, cytogenetics, phylogeography and evolution of this genus. During 1996, he was a visiting scholar at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, where he worked with Dr. James Patton, and learned molecular biology techniques to improve his methodology in evolutionary studies. Since 1985 he is a full professor at UFRGS, supervising students at all levels (undergraduate, MSc and PhD). His main research interests are evolution, phylogeography and conservation of Ctenomys, but he has also worked with other mammals (rodents, carnivora, cethacean, chiroptera) mainly supervising young researchers. He is a Life Member of the American Society of Mammalogists, was one of the founders and served as president of the Brazilian Mastozooloy Society. He is also active member of the Brazilian Society of Genetics.
possui graduação em Ciências Biológicas pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (1977), mestrado (1980) e doutorado em Genética e Biologia Molecular, ambos pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (1990). Realizou estágio de pós-doutorado no Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Universidade da Califórnia-Berkeley (1996). Atualmente é Professor Titular do Departamento de Genética da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Sócio-fundador e ex-presidente da Sociedade Brasileira de Mastozoologia, "Life Member" da American Society of Mammalogists, participa também ativamente de encontros da Sociedade Brasileira de Genética. Desenvolve projetos de pesquisa na área de Genética Animal, com ênfase em temas como, filogeografia, genética da conservação e evolução. Concentra-se em espécies da classe Mammalia, principalmente evolução e conservação do gênero Ctenomys, tendo já trabalhado com outras ordens de mamíferos (Cetacea, Chiroptera, Carnivora). Membro da IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group 2021-2025
