Tim Wollesen

Tim Wollesen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Evolutionary Biology at the Faculty of Life Sciences. His research focuses on molluscan evolution, neurogenesis, and developmental genetics, particularly in cephalopods, scaphopods, and chaetognaths. He has led projects funded by the Schrödinger Grant and collaborates internationally on topics like Hox gene expression and single-cell transcriptomics.

Research interests include evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo), comparative genomics, and the molecular mechanisms underlying body plan diversification. Recent studies explore the genetic basis of shell formation, nervous system evolution, and ancestral cell type conservation in spiralians.

Notable contributions include analyzing developmental gene expression in squid eyes, sequencing chaetognath transcriptomes, and elucidating Hox gene roles in molluscan body plans. His work bridges molecular biology with evolutionary questions, contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals through biodiversity research.

• Received Schrödinger Grant (2018) to support evolutionary research
• Active in international conferences, presenting on bioadhesives and molluscan cell types
• Lead researcher on projects like 'Elucidating molluscan evolution by single cell sequencing' (2021–ongoing)

His lab focuses on integrative approaches combining genomics, microscopy, and developmental biology to decode evolutionary innovations in invertebrate lineages.