معرفی
Prof. Dr. Susanne Foitzik is a Professor of Evolutionary Biology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz since 2010, where she leads the Evolution & Behavioral Ecology of Ants research group at the Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME). Previously, she was Professor in Behavioral Ecology at LMU Munich (2004-2010) and Assistant Professor in Zoology at the University of Regensburg (2000-2004). She earned her PhD in Biology from Julius Maximilian University, Würzburg in 1998.
Her research integrates approaches from behavioral ecology through genomics to epigenetics, focusing on ants as model organisms to study complex social behaviors.
- Host-parasite coevolution and social parasitism in ants
- Molecular mechanisms underlying division of labor
- Reversal of the fecundity-longevity trade-off in social insects
- Gene regulation in phenotypic plasticity
- Evolution of chemical communication systems
Analysis of her recent publications (2022-2025) reveals a strong focus on molecular mechanisms of social behavior, with particular emphasis on host-parasite interactions, epigenetic regulation of behavior, and genomic adaptations in social insects. Her work increasingly combines transcriptomic, proteomic, and functional genomic approaches to understand the molecular basis of social evolution.
Among her notable scientific achievements:
- Speaker of Research Training Group 2626 GenEvo: Gene Regulation in Evolution (2019-present)
- Speaker of EES Master Program funded by VW foundation (2007-2010)
- DAAD Fellow at State University of New York (1992-93)
Prof. Foitzik has supervised numerous PhD students and postdocs, including Maide Macit, Tom Sistermans, and Marcel Caminer. Her research is supported by multiple DFG-funded projects investigating host-parasite coevolution, the role of gene regulation in division of labor, and parasite interference in host gene expression. She serves as Handling Editor for Biology Letters and previously served on the editorial board of Insectes Sociaux.
Her research group operates within the Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME) at Mainz, with laboratory facilities at the Biozentrum I. The group collaborates extensively with researchers across Germany and internationally, including partnerships with institutions in Frankfurt, Freiburg, Bristol, and Tel Aviv.
