Paul Rainey

Paul Rainey is a Professor and Director of the Department of Microbial Population Biology at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön, Germany. He also serves as Professor at ESPCI Paris and holds an adjunct position at the New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study (NZIAS). His research spans microbial evolution, ecological scaffolding, and biophysics, supported by the Max Planck Society and collaborations across institutions.

• University of Canterbury – BSc, MSc, PhD

Paul's research focuses on experimental evolution, ecological complexity, and the emergence of individuality in microbial systems. Recent work explores evolutionary rescue, biophysical mechanisms of surface colonization, and the interplay between ecological and genetic factors in adaptation.

His publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches, merging microbial ecology with theoretical frameworks for evolutionary transitions. Key themes include stochastic phenotype switching, genome streamlining, and the role of environmental structure in shaping evolutionary trajectories.

• Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand
• Member of EMBO

Paul leads the Laboratory for Evolutionary Genetics at ESPCI Paris and collaborates with institutions like Kiel University and the CRC 1182. His work addresses microbial community dynamics, evolutionary medicine, and the broader implications of eco-evolutionary feedback in biological systems.