Arne Traulsen

Prof. Dr. Arne Traulsen is a Scientific Member and Director of the Department of Theoretical Biology at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön, Germany. He leads interdisciplinary research integrating biology, physics, mathematics, and computer science to study evolutionary dynamics, particularly in cancer evolution, metaorganisms, and population structure. His work often involves collaborations with clinicians, experimentalists, and bioinformaticians.

Education:

• Diploma in Theoretical Physics (2002)
• Doctorate from Kiel University (summa cum laude, 2005)

Research Interests: Arne’s research focuses on evolutionary game theory, finite populations, group selection, mathematical models for cancer, and population structure. His team explores how mutations accumulate, how cooperation evolves, and how eco-evolutionary dynamics shape biological systems. Recent work connects chaotic turnover in ecosystems and evolutionary responses to treatment with broader biological questions.

Scientific Awards:

• Postgraduate Grant of Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes
• Postdoc Grant of Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina
• Emmy-Noether Grant of Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
• Young-Scientist Award for Socio- and Econophysics (2012)

Advising and Collaborations: While specific student names are not listed, Arne has hosted numerous research groups and mentored interdisciplinary teams. His work spans collaborations with institutions like Kiel University, the CRC 1182 Metaorganisms, and global researchers in evolutionary biology and computational modeling.