Qiaowei Pan is a Researcher at the University of Lausanne , focusing on Evolution and Ecology . They have held a Guest Researcher role at the Institute of Molecular Biology gGmbH (IMB) in Mainz, Germany since 2023, and a Postdoctoral Researcher position at the University of Lausanne since 2018. Education: PhD in Molecular and Evolutionary Biology (2014-2018), INRAe, University of Rennes II, France Erasmus Mundus Master in Evolutionary Biology (MEME) (2012-2014), University of Groningen (Netherlands) & University of Montpellier II (France) BSc in Biology (2008-2012), University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, USA Research Interests: Qiaowei Pan's work centers on the intersection of molecular genetics , evolutionary biology , and developmental biology , particularly in sex determination mechanisms across diverse animal models. Their studies span non-coding RNA regulation , sex chromosome evolution , and signal transduction pathways like TGF-β in reproductive systems. Publication Trends: Recent articles highlight expertise in sex determination systems (5/12 publications), genomic approaches (6/12), and fish developmental evolution . Collaborative work includes computational methods ( RADSex workflow ) and comparative studies across ant , goldfish , catfish , and cavefish models. Labs & Teams: Currently affiliated with the Keller-Valsecchi group at IMB and the Department of Evolution and Ecology at the University of Lausanne.
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyGermany
Benedict King is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, where he contributes to the Comparative Oceanic Linguistics (CoOL) team. His research focuses on constructing phylogenetic trees of language relationships using Bayesian methods to explore language origins, spread, and evolutionary dynamics. He holds a BA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge (UK), a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from Flinders University (Australia), and previously worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Netherlands). King’s research interests bridge evolutionary biology, paleontology, and linguistics. He investigates evolutionary transitions in early vertebrates (e.g., placoderms, coelacanths) and applies computational models to study language evolution. His work emphasizes improving phylogenetic methodologies and integrating fossil evidence with statistical frameworks. Notable projects include analyzing Philippine language migrations and reconfiguring actinistian phylogenies through Devonian fish fossils. His publications reflect interdisciplinary strengths, combining vertebrate paleontology with linguistic phylogenetics. Recent work supports rapid Austronesian expansions and hybrid Indo-European language origins. Awards include the Oxford University Press Prize for Biosciences and recognition for his PhD publication. King actively engages in public science communication through platforms like The Conversation and GitHub repositories.
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland FisheriesGermany
Michael T. Monaghan is a Professor at the Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, and leads the Research Group in Molecular Ecology and Genomics at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB). His work bridges evolutionary biology, molecular ecology, and environmental monitoring, focusing on freshwater systems and urban aquatic habitats. Education: B.S. (The Ohio State University, 1995), M.S. (Idaho State University, 1998), Dr. sc. nat. (ETH Zürich, 2002) Key Positions: Senior Scientist/Research Group Leader at IGB (2008–present), Visiting Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School (2016), Guest Professor at Ehime University (2015–2016) Dr. Monaghan's research explores freshwater biodiversity dynamics using molecular tools like metabarcoding and phylogenomics. His team investigates how environmental changes—climate warming, urbanization, pollution—affect microbial and insect communities, with a focus on eDNA applications and ecohydrology. His publications (2022–2025) span topics such as climate-driven plankton shifts, urban habitat adaptation by bees, toxin genetics in algae, and metagenomic monitoring of aquatic systems. Collaborative projects like BiNatUr and ODER~SO emphasize urban resilience and disaster ecology. Teaching includes data science in biology, evolutionary ecology, and environmental genomics at Freie Universität Berlin and the Institute of Computer Science. He mentors doctoral and master’s students in molecular ecology and trains interns in biodiversity genomics. Lab Members: Dr. Dagmar Frisch (Scientific Staff) Dr. Katrin Kiemel (Postdoc) Elisabeth Funke (Research Technician) Doctoral Candidates: Onur Erk Kavlak, Athena Karapli-Petritsopoulou, Daniel Wewer
Prof. Dr. Jörg Schultz serves as a Professor for Bioinformatics at the Faculty of Biology, University of Würzburg, a position he has held since 2003. He is also a Group Leader at the Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology (CCTB) and was a member of the CCTB Managing Board from 2015-2019. His academic journey includes significant roles as Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin (2002-2003) and at cellzome in Heidelberg (2000-2002). He completed his PhD studies at EMBL Heidelberg (1996-2000) after conducting his diploma thesis there in 1995-1996, following biology studies at the University of Konstanz (1991-1996). Prof. Schultz's research spans bioinformatics, computational biology, and evolutionary genomics, with notable contributions to protein domain analysis, phylogenetics, and structural bioinformatics. His recent work has focused extensively on plant genomics, particularly studying carnivorous plants like the Venus flytrap to uncover the evolutionary roots of plant carnivory. His research integrates computational methods with biological questions to address fundamental evolutionary patterns and molecular mechanisms across diverse organisms. Prof. Schultz has maintained a prolific publication record since the late 1990s, with his most recent work demonstrating continued innovation in computational approaches to biological questions. His publications reveal a consistent trajectory from foundational work on protein domain evolution (including the development of the SMART database) to current research on plant genomics, molecular evolution, and bioinformatics tool development. His work shows particular strength in bridging computational methodology with biological insight across multiple domains. Among his significant contributions is the development of the ITS2 Database, a widely used resource for phylogenetic analyses, along with various computational tools including ALVIS for sequence alignment visualization, reper for repetitive element analysis, and BCdatabaser for DNA barcoding. These resources have advanced methodological capabilities in the bioinformatics community. As an academic mentor, Prof. Schultz has guided numerous students and researchers through his laboratory at the University of Würzburg, contributing significantly to the education and training of the next generation of bioinformaticians. His leadership roles demonstrate his commitment to advancing computational and theoretical biology as academic disciplines while maintaining strong connections between computational approaches and biological discovery.
Prof. Gerhard Jäger holds the Chair of General Linguistics at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Tübingen . He serves as a Principal Investigator (PI) in the Clusters of Excellence Human Origins and Machine Learning for Science , and leads projects like Phylomilia (funded by Volkswagen Foundation) and CrossLingference (ERC Advanced Grant). His career spans multiple institutions, including Bielefeld University (2004-2009) and Stanford University (visiting scholar, 2004). Habilitation (2002) at Humboldt University Berlin with thesis on Anaphora and Type Logical Grammar PhD (1996) at Humboldt University Berlin on Dynamic Semantics His research bridges computational linguistics , phylogenetic analysis , and game theory , focusing on Bayesian models , language evolution , and cross-linguistic typology . Recent work explores phylogenetic inference from acoustic speech data and geographic influences on language trees . Key contributions include 15+ recent publications on topics spanning phylogenetic typology , cognate detection , and Bayesian language modeling . These works employ machine learning , statistical inference , and evolutionary game theory to analyze language change , typological variation , and linguistic stability . Honors include ERC Advanced Grant , Volkswagen Foundation funding , and DFG-Humanities Centre for Advanced Studies participation. He has taught courses in Computational Historical Linguistics , Phylogenetic Methods , and Bayesian Data Analysis across institutions like Tübingen, Bielefeld, and Stanford. He actively contributes to academic communities through workshop organization (e.g., Quantitative Theoretical Linguistics , Game Theory in Pragmatics ) and serves on the faculty council at Tübingen. His team collaborates with institutions like Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology , University of Pennsylvania , and LMU Munich .
Max Planck Institute for Biological IntelligenceGermany
Jochen Wolf is Chair of the Evolutionary Biology Division at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) and a Max Planck Fellow of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence since 2022. His research integrates evolutionary biology, genomics, and ecology to address fundamental questions about speciation, adaptation, and biodiversity across multiple biological systems. Dr. Wolf's research program applies an integrative approach to understand microevolutionary processes and genetic mechanisms underlying species divergence. His work combines large-scale genomic analyses with laboratory and field experiments to characterize genomic divergence across populations and species. Key empirical systems include natural populations of birds (particularly corvids, swallows, and cuckoos), marine mammals (pinnipeds and killer whales), plant communities, and experimental evolution in fission yeast. His research spans multiple scales from immediate microevolutionary processes to broader evolutionary patterns across time. His recent publications reveal a sophisticated integration of genomic, epigenetic, and ecological perspectives. A notable trend shows increasing focus on structural genomic variation, chromosomal rearrangements, and epigenetic mechanisms as drivers of evolutionary processes. His work demonstrates how these molecular mechanisms interact with ecological factors to shape patterns of biodiversity and adaptation. Dr. Wolf's research has gained significant recognition through publications in top-tier journals including Nature, Science, and Nature Ecology & Evolution. His groundbreaking studies on crow hybrid zones, killer whale ecotypes, and experimental evolution of speciation have been featured in prominent media outlets such as The New Yorker, The Guardian, Scientific American, and Der Spiegel, demonstrating the broad impact of his work. As Principal Investigator, Dr. Wolf actively mentors doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers, fostering the next generation of evolutionary biologists. His lab maintains strong international collaborations, particularly through affiliations with SciLifeLab in Uppsala. Research in his group is supported by multiple funding sources including German Research Foundation grants and European Union programs, enabling both fundamental research and applications to conservation biology. The Wolf lab operates within LMU's Division of Evolutionary Biology, which provides access to state-of-the-art facilities including the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre. The lab maintains strong connections with the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence and SciLifeLab in Uppsala, creating a rich collaborative environment for interdisciplinary research in evolutionary genomics. This network enables comprehensive studies spanning from molecular mechanisms to ecological and evolutionary consequences across diverse biological systems.
Prof. Damaris Zurell is a Full Professor of Ecology/Macroecology at the University of Potsdam, leading an interdisciplinary research group focused on biodiversity responses to global change. She holds a PhD in Geoecology (2011) and MSc in Geoecology (2007), both from the University of Potsdam. Her career includes roles as a junior research group leader (2018–2023), postdoctoral researcher (2011–2018), and awards such as the 2024 Henriette-Herz Scout and 2008 Junior Scientist Award. Research Interests: Bridging theoretical ecology, conservation science, and predictive modeling, Prof. Zurell explores how biodiversity adapts to climate change, focusing on terrestrial ecosystems (birds, mammals, plants). Her work emphasizes spatial eco-evolutionary dynamics, species distribution modeling (SDMs), and invasive species management. Collaborative initiatives include ISIMIP (Terrestrial Biodiversity Sector Lead) and GEOBON’s biodiversity modeling working group. Publications & Trends: Recent work highlights SDM methodological advances, climate-driven range shifts, and niche dynamics in birds and plants. She prioritizes open science, co-developing tools like RangeShifter 2.0 and the ENM2020 course. Key Projects: DEBTs (detecting biodiversity drivers), NichePac (alien plant spread in the Pacific), BirdWatch (Copernicus-based habitat monitoring). Grants: DFG, HORIZON, and Swiss National Science Foundation-funded projects totaling over €10M. Labs & Teams: Her lab at the University of Potsdam collaborates globally, hosting postdocs, PhD students, and international fellows. Current openings include Humboldt Postdoc/Sabbatical positions focused on global change ecology.
Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity at the Humboldt University BerlinGermany
Dr. Parm von Oheimb is a Researcher in the Mollusc Collection at the Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Research in Berlin, Germany, where he has worked since 2019. His research focuses on malacology, biodiversity patterns, evolutionary biology, and biogeography, with particular emphasis on land snails and freshwater mollusks across diverse ecosystems including the Tibetan Plateau, Vietnam, and urban environments. Previously, he held postdoctoral positions at The Natural History Museum in London (2015-2019) and Justus Liebig University Giessen (2013-2015). Dr. von Oheimb earned his Dr. rer. nat. in 2013 from Justus Liebig University Giessen with a dissertation titled "Phylogeography at the 'Roof of the World' – Diversity and distribution of freshwater mollusks at the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas." He completed his Diploma in Biology with distinction in 2008 from the same institution. His educational background provided the foundation for his extensive research on mollusk systematics, biogeography, and evolutionary patterns across diverse geographical regions. Dr. von Oheimb's research interests span multiple areas of malacology and biodiversity science. His work on Tibetan Plateau freshwater gastropods has contributed significantly to understanding high-altitude adaptation and historical biogeography. His research in Vietnam has focused on limestone karst ecosystems and the biodiversity of land snails, revealing cryptic species diversity and community assembly patterns. More recently, he has investigated urban biodiversity, particularly examining cemeteries as habitats for terrestrial gastropods in Berlin. His methodological approaches integrate field surveys, molecular phylogenetics, morphological analysis, and biogeographical modeling to address fundamental questions in evolutionary biology and ecology. His extensive publication record demonstrates consistent research output across multiple continents and habitats, with a clear trajectory from high-altitude freshwater systems to tropical limestone karsts and urban environments. The research shows a consistent focus on molluscan biodiversity patterns while adapting methodologies to address specific ecological and evolutionary questions in each system. His work often involves large international collaborations, reflecting the global nature of biodiversity research. Dr. von Oheimb has received several scientific awards including a Research Fellowship from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (2015-2017), a Travel Award from the Malacological Society of London (2016), and the J. Frances Allen Institute of Malacology Outstanding Publication Award (2013). He has also received multiple awards for poster presentations at international conferences. As a dedicated researcher, Dr. von Oheimb has served as a Subject Editor for Zoosystematics and Evolution since 2025 and is an active member of several scientific societies including The Malacological Society of London, Unitas Malacologica, and the German Malacological Society. His work contributes to multiple research programs at the Museum für Naturkunde, particularly the "Dynamics of Nature" initiative and the "Life between Graves" project examining cemetery biodiversity. Dr. von Oheimb also contributes to science communication through the "Schemenkabinett" project and has developed various popular science formats. His research leverages the extensive mollusk collections at the Museum für Naturkunde, connecting traditional taxonomy with modern molecular approaches to address contemporary questions in biodiversity science.
Dr. Jan Gogarten is a researcher at the University of Greifswald within the Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation department. Their work focuses on primate-associated organism communities, including bacterial microbiomes, eukaryotic parasites, and pathogen-carrying flies, investigating how these communities shape primate health and conservation. Key collaborations with Helmholtz Institute for One Health , Robert Koch Institute , and Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Research spans zoonotic pathogen detection , molecular method development for genomic data generation, and climate change impacts on primate populations . Methodologies include longitudinal studies in Taï National Park and Kibale National Park, fly-derived DNA for biodiversity monitoring, and comparative datasets on sociality costs/benefits.
Onur Güntürkün serves as Professor for Psychology at Ruhr University Bochum and holds a Permanent Fellowship at the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin (Institute for Advanced Study). His academic career spans decades of pioneering research in comparative cognition, with a focus on evolutionary parallels between avian and mammalian cognitive systems. As a Permanent Fellow, he leads the "One Cognition" project investigating convergent evolution of cognitive abilities across species with vastly different neuroanatomies. Academic Background: Diploma in Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum Dr. phil. in Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum Güntürkün's research centers on the paradox of equivalent cognitive abilities emerging from radically different neural architectures—specifically how birds with tiny brains (3-25g) and no neocortex achieve cognitive feats matching chimpanzees. His work demonstrates that corvids and parrots exhibit identical cognitive capabilities to primates in working memory, problem-solving, and social cognition. He investigates whether algorithmic constraints or neural implementation bottlenecks drive this convergence, using working memory as a model system due to its well-defined parameters across species. His experimental approach integrates behavioral studies with neural circuit analysis to uncover universal principles of cognitive evolution. Analysis of his publication history reveals a consistent trajectory from foundational neuroanatomical studies toward theoretical frameworks for cognitive convergence. The most recent works (2021-2024) emphasize circuit-level homologies between avian pallium and mammalian neocortex, while earlier publications established birds as valid models for complex cognition. Key thematic clusters include neural lateralization mechanisms, sensory modality effects on cognition, and evolutionary constraints on information processing. His 2024 Trends in Cognitive Sciences paper synthesizes two decades of evidence showing birds solve mental problems using cognitive mechanisms nearly identical to mammals despite 300 million years of divergent evolution. Professional Recognition: Honorary Doctorate (Dr. h.c.) Güntürkün actively contributes to scientific discourse through invited colloquia, including an upcoming presentation at Wiko on November 25, 2025. While specific grant details aren't documented in the source material, his sustained research output and leadership in major projects indicate significant funding acquisition. His work bridges neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and cognitive psychology, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations evident in co-authored publications with researchers from diverse fields. As Principal Investigator of the "One Cognition" project, Güntürkün directs a research initiative examining why evolution repeatedly produces similar cognitive solutions across phylogenetically distant species. This work involves comparative analysis of neural circuits across avian and mammalian models, with particular focus on working memory constraints and neural implementation strategies. His laboratory at Ruhr University Bochum collaborates with international teams studying bird cognition, contributing to the growing paradigm shift recognizing avian intelligence as a powerful model for understanding universal cognitive principles.
Matthias Wolf is an Academic Director at the Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg. He holds a Doctor rerum naturalium (summa cum laude) from Free University of Berlin (2002) and has been a faculty member since 2003, progressing through roles including C1 Assistant Professor (2003–2008), Lecturer (2008–2015), Senior Lecturer (2015–2024), and now Academic Director. His research focuses on phylogenetics, phycology, and RNA secondary structure analysis, particularly using ITS2 databases. He has over 85 peer-reviewed publications and an h-index of 46. Awards include being listed among the top 2% scientists in his field (2020) and recognition for 25 years of service in Berlin and Bavaria (2023). Education highlights include a Diploma in Biology (1999) and PhD studies on molecular systematics of green algae (2002). He has held visiting roles at Research Center Jülich and contributed to expeditions aboard the research vessel METEOR. His grants include DFG funding for ITS2-based phylogenetic algorithms (2007–2011). He serves on editorial boards for BMC Ecology and Evolution and Biology , and is active in societies like GfBS and DBG. Research interests emphasize using ITS2 sequence-structure data for phylogenetic reconstruction, species delineation, and molecular systematics. His work spans algae, protists, and fungi, with a focus on resolving evolutionary relationships and taxonomic ambiguities. Teaching responsibilities include courses in bioinformatics, phylogenetics, and computational tools for biology. Labs/Teams : Chair of Bioinformatics, ITS2 Database Project Grants : DFG MU 2831/1-1 (2007–2011) Advising : Supervised numerous PhD/Master’s students in microbial systematics and bioinformatics
Dr. Katharina M. Jörger is a researcher at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, specializing in the phylogeny and evolution of meiofaunal molluscs. Her work focuses on understanding the evolutionary relationships and ecological roles of small marine organisms, particularly within the Mollusca phylum. She holds a Ph.D. from LMU Munich, where her thesis explored molecular phylogeny of Acochlidia, a group of marine and freshwater gastropods. Her research integrates anatomical, genetic, and ecological approaches to address questions in systematic zoology and evolutionary biology. Key areas of expertise include meiofaunal molluscs, molecular systematics, and cryptic species identification. She has contributed significantly to the study of Aplacophora (Solenogastres) and Acochlidimorpha, elucidating their phylogenetic relationships and ecological adaptations. Her work often emphasizes the development of novel methods for studying small, elusive organisms, such as 3D microanatomy and hybridization-based genetic capture techniques. Dr. Jörger has conducted fieldwork in diverse locations, including the Azores, Antarctic regions, and the Caribbean, to document meiofaunal biodiversity. Her publications span topics like mitochondrial genome analysis, freshwater slug invasions, and deep-sea predation dynamics. She collaborates internationally on projects exploring meiofaunal ecology and evolutionary patterns. Her research also addresses broader ecological questions, such as how meiofauna contributes to marine biodiversity and how taxonomic methods can better capture cryptic diversity. Despite no explicitly listed awards, her prolific publication record underscores her impactful contributions to mollusc systematics and evolutionary biology.
Prof. Dr. Georg Petschenka is a Professor and Head of the Department of Applied Entomology at the University of Hohenheim's Institute of Phytomedicine. His research focuses on plant-insect interactions, particularly toxin sequestration in herbivorous insects, ecotoxicology of agricultural chemicals, and chemical ecology. He leads courses on insect biology, pest management, and ecological field practices. Notable contributions include studies on monarch butterfly cardenolide dynamics, neonicotinoid impacts on grassland insects, and RNA interference in pest control. Research interests emphasize how insects adapt to toxic plant compounds, coevolutionary arms races between plants and herbivores, and applications in sustainable agriculture. Recent work highlights the ecological risks of neonicotinoids, innovative pest control methods using RNAi, and the role of artificial stress in crop resilience. Teaching includes modules on applied entomology, plant protection, and field observation techniques. He actively organizes international symposia on insect-plant relationships and collaborates on projects assessing pesticide efficacy and environmental impacts.
Camila Mazzoni is a group leader at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Berlin, Germany. She co-leads the BeGenDiv initiative and serves as Chair of the European Reference Genome Atlas (2020–2023). Her research focuses on conservation genomics, population genomics, and phylogenomics , utilizing whole genome sequencing and environmental DNA analysis to address biodiversity challenges. Education PhD, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Oswaldo Cruz Institution (Fiocruz), Brazil (2003–2006) MSc, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Oswaldo Cruz Institution (Fiocruz), Brazil (2001–2003) BSc, Biological Sciences, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil (1997–2001) Mazzoni’s work spans hybridization/introgression studies (e.g., sea turtles, grasshoppers), bioinformatics pipeline development for non-model organisms, and mitogenomic/environmental DNA applications . Her recent publications highlight advancements in long-read sequencing , RADseq methods , and cross-species transmission analysis . Projects include Biodiversity Genomics Europe , Genotropics , and contributions to the Earth BioGenome Project . Collaborative efforts involve teams at IZW, BeGenDiv, and international consortia like the European Reference Genome Atlas.
Jens Stoye is a Professor of Genome Informatics at the Faculty of Engineering , Bielefeld University, where he has held this position since 2002. He leads the Genome Informatics Working Group at CeBiTec and serves as Managing Director of the Bielefeld Institute for Bioinformatics Infrastructure (BIBI). Additionally, he is a member of the Board of Directors at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF) and held numerous administrative roles, including Dean of the Faculty of Technology and Speaker of the DFG Research Training Group. Education: Diploma in Informatics in the Natural Sciences (1995) and PhD (1997) from Bielefeld University Current Roles: Full University Professor, Managing Director of BIBI, Executive Director of ZiF (2023-2025) His research focuses on computational genomics , including genome rearrangement, comparative genomics, and pangenomics. Recent work explores the double distance problem , natural genome phylogeny reconstruction, and efficient pangenome storage techniques. He has developed algorithms for genome assembly benchmarking (GABenchToB), rearrangement epidemiology (pling), and core genome detection. Scientific Contributions include best paper awards and editorial roles at IEEE/ACM Transactions on Computational Biology and Bioinformatics , BMC Bioinformatics , and Discrete Applied Mathematics . He has served on over 20 conference committees (WABI, ISMB, RECOMB) and advised 165+ theses (36 PhD, 71 Master/Diploma, 58 Bachelor). Leadership Roles: Vice-Speaker of German Bioinformatics Society (2002-2014) Dean of Faculty of Technology (2007-2009) Speaker of DFG Research Training Group (2013-2019) Member of DAAD Postdoc Fellowship Committee (2014-2025)
