معرفی
Markus Friedrich is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Wayne State University, affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on insect development, gene family evolution, and arthropod visual systems, with a particular interest in cave-adapted species. He has held roles including Editor-in-Chief of the Molecular Biology and Genomics Section for the journal Insects and advised on the Australian Research Council project DP230100731 (2023-2024).
- Education: PhD in Zoology from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (1995), postdoctoral training at Caltech (1996–1999).
His research interests span comparative genomics, evolutionary developmental biology, and the genetic basis of sensory adaptations. Notable work includes studies on opsin gene evolution, cave animal adaptations, and the genomic basis of arthropod diversification. Recent publications highlight discoveries in harvestmen relict eyes, horseshoe crab Pax6 homologs, and cave beetle sleep behavior.
Teaching includes courses like BIO4220 Biological Dimensions of Evolutionary Psychology and BIO1500 Basic Life Diversity. He has supervised numerous students and volunteers, fostering a dynamic research lab environment. His work integrates genomic, developmental, and evolutionary approaches to unravel mechanisms of trait evolution in insects.
- Grants/Awards: Australian Research Council funding, editorial leadership in entomology journals.
- Labs/Teams: The Friedrich Lab focuses on evolutionary genetics, with projects involving Tribolium beetles, cave organisms, and comparative genomics.
