Renate Radek

PD Dr. Renate Radek is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Biology of Freie Universität Berlin, affiliated with the Rolff Group - Evolutionary Biology. Her research focuses on insect-microbe interactions, with particular emphasis on termite gut symbionts, entomopathogenic fungi, and host-parasite coevolutionary dynamics. She leads a team investigating microbial diversity and its ecological implications in arthropod systems.

Research interests span evolutionary biology, microbial symbiosis, and insect pathology. Notable projects include phylogenetic studies of termite-associated flagellates, ultrastructural analysis of defensive glands in soldier termites, and the classification of emerging fungal taxa. Her work bridges molecular genetics, morphological analysis, and ecological field studies.

Publications highlight advancements in understanding microbial diversity in insect hosts, including discoveries in Chytridiomycota, Microsporidia, and symbiotic flagellates. Recent work explores how pathogens influence insect behavior and social organization, with implications for pest control and conservation biology.

No scientific awards or grants are explicitly listed in the provided materials. She advises no current students, though her research team includes postdoctoral and graduate collaborators. The Rolff Group operates interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of evolutionary biology and microbiology.