Hannah Rowland

Dr. Hannah Rowland leads the Max Planck Research Group 'Predators and Toxic Prey' at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany. Her work integrates chemical ecology, evolutionary biology, and predator-prey dynamics to investigate defensive strategies in animals, with a focus on warning signals, mimicry, and toxin resistance.

• Key Research Areas: Chemical defense mechanisms, sensory ecology, avian predation, and evolutionary trade-offs.
• Affiliations: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology (2017–present), Australian Research Council, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin.

Her research explores how predators interact with chemically defended prey, including studies on cardenolide sequestration, social learning in avian populations, and the evolution of complex warning signals. Recent articles highlight interdisciplinary approaches combining behavioral experiments, genomic analyses, and biochemical assays.

Dr. Rowland's 2023–2025 publications emphasize adaptive mimicry landscapes, toxin resistance mechanisms, and social information's role in dietary decisions. These works bridge molecular physiology (e.g., Na+/K+-ATPase interactions) and ecological dynamics (e.g., population-specific genomic differentiation in invasive species).

• Scientific Awards:
  • Australian Research Council Discovery Grant (2019)
  • Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin Fellowship (2017)
  • Thomas Henry Huxley Award & Alfred Russel Wallace Award (2008)

She employs experimental models like 3D-printed prey, poison frogs, and grasshoppers to dissect defensive trait evolution. Her team's work demonstrates how extraocular photoreception, oxidative trade-offs, and network centrality influence antipredator strategies.